Senior WHEA Graduation 2015

We, the undersigned, believe that our 2015 Senior Graduation Ceremony is our last self-selected project at the West Hawaii Explorations Academy (WHEA).

We, the Class of 2015, believe we exemplify all of the characteristics of successful WHEA Students who are motivated, self-directed, initiative and responsibility driven, accepting of challenges, enthusiastic about new skills and knowledge, accepting of responsibility for personal planning and learning, and who are able to monitor and regulate time and productivity. We have matured into critical thinkers, who are able to solve real world, complex problems.

For some of us too, this is an exceptionally special moment because we represent the first 6th grade class graduating from WHEA ever. Our 7 years at WHEA gives us a unique perspective on the WHEA way.

We, the Class of 2015, believe we deserve to have our last WHEA project, Graduation Ceremony 2015, have the following components:

1. Ability to select our own guest speaker for our 2015 Graduation Ceremony.

We do not want to have a speaker selected by a Co-Director who does not teach us, or know who we are, who calls the Senior class “toxic”, or who says “we only have 49% vote and he has 51% of the vote”, or who says “what makes you think graduating is about Seniors?” or who claims he queried the Senior students (30 students) when he only talked to 4-6 students out of 30 (13%) on a Thursday. (The entire Senior class of 30 students is present each and every Wednesday. The Co-Director took no time to meet with the Senior class to have this discussion.) As responsible citizens, we know these comments above do not represent partnerships, or compromise instead these comments are condescending and demean us.

To commemorate Seniors representing the first 6th grade class graduating from WHEA, several Seniors asked the other Graduating members if 6th grade teacher Ms. Medeiros could be one of their selected Graduation speakers. The Senior’s agreed; and Mrs. Medeiros accepted. The Seniors’ then reported their decision to the Co-Directors. The Co-Directors agreed this would be acceptable. However, at a Teacher’s Staff meeting, a Co-Director reported that suddenly Mrs. Medeiros was “inappropriate” to have as a guest speaker.

The Graduating Senior Class had selected middle school teacher Mrs. Medeiros, who is the last remaining original 6th grade teacher who has not been chased away by WHEA. A Co-Director overruled the Seniors’ so he could continue his kingdom, and have whoever he pleases because he gets 51% of the vote.

2. Non-censoring of teacher’s graduation messages to 2015 Graduates.

The 2015 WHEA Graduating class does not want to have our teacher’s graduation message censored by a non-teaching Co-Director; we were taught in our US History about our civil rights, and freedom of speech; we want our teachers to talk from the heart, and not from fear of retaliation and retribution by a bully Co-Director. We have been taught at school to create a culture of dignity and respectfulness. We no longer want to be bystanders. The code of silence that forbids teachers from talking freely is killing WHEA.

3. Uncensored Teacher graduation messages are read by Teachers, and not the non-teaching Co-Director.

The 2015 WHEA Graduating Seniors want our teachers to speak at the ceremony. As graduating Seniors’, we want to be remembered not only by Mrs. Medeiros, but also by our WHEA teachers who taught us. We want to hear their voices and emotions this one last time at OUR Senior Graduation Ceremony; we are family.

We want to be saluted by our teachers’ who really know us: teachers who have worked with us side by side on projects at school like Cold Ag, Aloha Kai, and Tide Pools; who have camped with us in Volcano at KMC; who have snorkeled with us at Kahalulu Beach; who have walked on “Mars” with us; who have slogged through the Kohala Bogs with us; who have helped us learn about robotics, and be a part of exciting competitions; who have helped us with Public Aquariums; who have guided us in Leadership meetings; who has helped each of us get through tough times at homes and school; who showed us it’s cool to be different; who made us clean-up campus; who made lunches for us; who helped us be successful with our individual learning styles; who allowed us to make mistakes, and then figure out a better approach; who allowed us to dream and complete incredible projects, and who allowed us to be teenagers, and young adults. We want our “Can Do” teachers to salute us; we need them as much as they need us.

If timing is an issue, then we will hire construction lights to light up the campus. The 2015 Graduation Ceremony is about saluting the students, not keeping to a time schedule because the NELHA locks the gate at 8:00 pm.