KAHULUI - Maui's newest public elementary school received one of its biggest recognitions so far Monday when it received a $3,000 Arts Excellence Award.
Established by the Hawaii Arts Alliance, the award recognizes exemplary schools that teach the arts as disciplines and integrate them into other subjects.
"That's the special thing about Pomaikai," Principal Rene Yamafuji told an assembly of students, teachers and parents Monday afternoon in the school cafeteria. "We do a lot of drama. We incorporate a lot of music, and we do a lot of art."
Yamafuji gathered her campus together for an awards presentation by Susana Browne, a member of the board of directors of the Hawaii Arts Alliance. The alliance's education committee - made up of representatives from the state Department of Education, independent schools, a teaching artist and board members - coordinates and makes the selection of winners after a rigorous process that includes site visits to the top contenders.
"Pomaikai was the number one school," Browne told the school audience.
As the education director at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Browne said she was aware of Pomaikai's work and dedication in promoting arts education. "We know the good work you do and now the whole state knows," she said.
Three years ago as the school prepared to open, Yamafuji revealed her goal to build a campus in Kahului that would incorporate the arts into everyday learning, including daily counseling and other lessons.
Yamafuji said at the time that she believed "you reach more of the students" when arts are used to enhance lessons in subjects like math, science and reading. "Student achievement and comprehension is greater when you add the arts," she said.
In the spring of 2008, Pomaikai's teaching staff made up half of about 30 educators who were honored at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center for actively pursuing education and training to use the arts in their work with children.
Earlier this school year, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts awarded Pomaikai an Arts in Public Places Award, which will lead to the funding and development of school murals produced by students with the help of a professional artist.
Pomaikai's Arts Excellence Award was funded by the Hawaii Community Foundation. Wilson Elementary on Oahu and Kalaheo School on Kauai earned similar awards.
Every year, the Arts Excellence competition rotates with the elementary, middle and high schools taking turns. This year's contest featured 16 elementary schools statewide.
Haiku Elementary School was a finalist in this year's competition and earned $1,000.
While all art disciplines are encouraged at Pomaikai, drama is required as a regular part of the curriculum. All classes in kindergarten through grade 5 are also required to teach a unit of study in visual arts.
Yamafuji, Pomaikai's Arts Integration Curriculum Coordinator Rae Takemoto and the school's Arts Research Team make regular visits to classrooms to give feedback on the effectiveness of a teacher's drama instruction.
The campus is engaged in a variety of activities that involve tapping community resources. Some of the programs include drama with Maui Academy of Performing Arts; dance with the Maui Dance Council; arts research with the Maui Arts & Cultural Center; and "imagination learning/literary arts" with professional writer Paul Wood.
Pomaikai's work in arts integration appears to be paying off in just the school's third year of existence, according to its award application.
"Visitors tell us all the time that our school is the most joyful school they've experienced," wrote 3rd-grade teacher Will Stack. "And it's true. . . . Walk into our classrooms . . . you'll be treated with witnessing engaged students, sharing their learning and thinking together with their teachers."
Fifth-grader Dominie Miyasato said she believes she made the right decision to enroll at Pomaikai as a 4th-grader. "I realize that learning through art is a whole new way of learning. The difference between traditional learning and learning through art is that learning through art is more exciting," Miyasato wrote.
Kindergarten mom Brigette Mallo attended Monday's assembly and took photos of her twins, Jacen and Jaiden, during the awards assembly. "I think it's the most amazing thing that they (Pomaikai teachers) incorporate the arts," she said.
"I think my sons come home more excited about school because of the way they learn," Mallo said. When one of her sons was having difficulty with vowels and consonants, she said his teacher matched alphabet sounds with dramatic movement to help him through the class lessons.
"They took a basic learning block and turned into something easy to remember and try at home," Mallo said.
The Mallo family seems to be acquiring a love for the arts. The twins' 3-year-old brother, Toben, attended Monday's student assembly. "Now he's excited about coming to this school too," Mallo said.
* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.
