Kaiser High School

Address:
Henry J. Kaiser High School
511 Lunalilo Home Rd
Honolulu, HI 96825

Telephone:

Website:
http://www.kaiser.k12.hi.us

Map:

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Four years after Kaiser's death, in 1971, the school opened its doors to students for the first time. The campus was filled with girls with wavy hair and semilong skirts and guys with long sleeved shirts and long thin pants. The Cougars then were known more for their athletic abilities than for their academic excelence. Kaiser's footbal team won the Honolulu District Championships in the 70's. Extra-curricular activities included the Polynesian Music Club, Japanese Club, Bible Club, and also the Surf Club. 'Kaiser Karnival' was another annual event on campus.
The second decade of our history was somewhat different from the first. An air of permissiveness prevailed around campus. According to Ben Lane, a 1984 graduate of Kaiser, school life of the 80's had lots of fist and food fights. He remember students getting shoved into garbage cans. Many cliques such as the Surfer's, Rocker's, and Boxer's were part of the scene. "I remember getting mugged on my way to the lunch wagon behind the cafe, and a 'beef' almost broke out between two of the biggest guys in school," said Lane. But Lane also remembers how exciting school life was back then, and the pervasive school spirit which dominated the atmosphere. His high school life had an impact on who he is today. "I remember my 10th grade English teacher, Mr Snyder, who saw that I had potential as a creative writer and encouraged me to write. His kind words and enthusiasm inspired me and I will never forget that," he added.
Gordon Chun, a 1987 graduate, has a quite different view of his high school life from Lane. He described the fashion of the time as "Miami Vice" -- blazer and a T-shirt under long sleeved clothes. He remembers his classmates as being more mature, respectful and goal-oriented. He said that students didn't have as much a variety of classes as they do today. The school held only few dances. But he also remembers the many fights on campus.
Tanya Ashimine, also a 1987 graduate and agrees with Chun in saying students tended to be nicer and not as sassy as today. But she thinks that students are closer to teachers today than they used to be. She said, "The school set up used to be different. We used to have portable classrooms in the empty space between the H building and A building. But things are more the same than they are different. Some of the teachers back then are still here."
During the past millennium, our school produced many successful young adults. "Akebono" (Chad Rowan) became a famous Sumo champion in Japan. Ms. Kushiyama, a social studies teacher, remembers Rowan as a humble and plesant student. Other celbrities include Sid Fernandez, a baseball pitcher of N.Y. Mets, Claudia Vasquez from Sunland, a famous musical group of Hawaii.
Being a young school, Kaiser has only a 36 year history. Being the students of the new millennium, we will be the ones shaping the history of the future.