Photographs by Kylie Yamauchi (’16) & courtesy of HBA parent Dennis Kaida.
On April 26, students and families of HBA gathered at the elementary campus for the school’s annual fun fair.
The fair, organized by the Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF), offered a variety of food booths, games, rides, and entertainment.
Like past years, the majority of the booths and rides were student-run, with each grade in charge of an activity. Interact Club’s KC Waffle Dog/Chili booth proved to be a huge hit with the hungry crowds. “I think it was very exciting to do the chili booth and have to take it kind of last minute,” Interact Club adviser Susan Goya said. “The Interact-ers did a really good job in signing up and coming in and trying their best to get the food moving and out.”
Another popular booth was the seniors’ Live Fish stand, where a player attempts to throw a ball into an empty fish bowl to win a fighting fish of his or her choice. Nadine Hirokawa, parent of senior Bryson Hirokawa and sophomore Brandon Hirokawa, was the chairperson for the twelfth grade booths. “The volunteers had fun and had a chance to fellowship with one another, making new friends and seeing old ones,” she said. “It was fun to watch the younger kids enjoy the games.”
[one_third]“The HBA Fun Fair was and always is a great testimony of our school community’s unity in Christ.”
Nolan Namba, HBA parent
[/one_third]This year, local band Kapena and former FISH 95.5 radio DJ Dawn O’Brien helped entertain the crowd. On stage too were HBA’s Halau Hula O Kalama Ula; high school student band From and To; and the high school theater class, which gave a sneak peek of their High School Musical performance. Sophomore Shannon Wong, who plays Sharpay in the musical, said, “The performance was fun but also a little awkward with all those people looking at us. However I feel like they enjoyed watching us despite the difficulties with using wired mics.”
HBA had its first fun fair in 1974 and the annual event continues to serve as an important fundraiser for the school. It has funded Smart Board purchases for classrooms, cafeteria seating and library renovations. Additionally, the fair brings intangible benefits for the HBA community. Parent and former high school vice principal Nolan Namba said, “I believe that collectively, the HBA Fun Fair was and always is a great testimony of our school community’s unity in Christ and this event is a good witness of Jesus’ love to our broader community that comes to the fair each year. And the fair works in this way because individuals who participate are willing and loving reflections of Christ.”
Looking ahead, some Fun Fair goers had suggestions for the future. History teacher Robert Weismantel said, “As a graduate of the school, I have been to numerous Fun Fairs. Though it is good to have some routines in planning to keep things organized as this is a year-long planning event, I would like to see more student involvement. I like it when students are running the PA system, playing music, reading shout-outs, advertising for certain booths, etcetera.”
Wong added, “Adding rides that older kids would enjoy would be better [for the fair]. Adults might even like a DJ that plays the classics.”
