TOP STORY

Students from Wai‘anae Intermediate School in West O‘ahu tell the story of Leihali‘a Panui, a female place-kicker and senior at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama who played on the school’s men’s varsity football team during the 2017 season. At first Leihali‘a’s father was not sure he wanted his daughter playing football, but Lei’s mother said, “I told my husband, ‘Who are we to say whether Leihali‘a can or cannot play football? We’ll just leave it up to the coaches and let them decide if she’s good enough for the team.’” The coaches decided Leihali‘a was good enough and welcomed her onto the team. Once he saw his daughter playing, Dad was won over: “It’s an amazing feeling seeing my daughter on the field playing football and hearing the spectators cheering her on.” Says Leihali‘a, “If you love something and you’re passionate about it, I would definitely think you should go for it 110% with all your heart because you don’t want to look back ten years later and regret it. Life is too short to have any regrets.”

ALSO FEATURED

–Students from Mid-Pacific on O‘ahu tell the story of a street performer turned painter who finds an enthusiastic audience in Waikīkī.

–Students from James Campbell High School in Leeward O‘ahu tell the story of a child of divorce who finds solace and a new family in dance.

–Students from Kapa‘a High School on Kaua‘i explore the reasons why their town has the largest concentration of Mexican restaurants in the state.

–Students from Aiea High School on O‘ahu show us how to make a money lei (a very popular lei among graduates).

–Students from Kua O Ka Lā Miloli‘i Hipu‘u Virtual Academy on Hawai‘i Island tell us about the traditional Hawaiian practice of ‘ōpelu fishing.

–Students from Ka Waihona o Ka Na‘auao Public Charter School tell the story of the instrument that made Hawaiian music popular around the world: the steel guitar.

This episode of HIKI NŌ is hosted by students at Kaiser High School in East O‘ahu.