Kealakehe High School is a public high school located in Kailua, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It has the largest geographic school attendance boundary in the state and covers a geographic district wide, encompassing the communities of Kailua-Kona, Hōlualoa, Waikōloa, and Puakō. The school motto is "Harmony and unity through dynamic education and community for everyone, every time."
Kealakehe's Mission
Encouraging partnerships among students, parents, faculty, staff and community by offering a curriculum which will address multi-intelligences and awareness; providing a safe environment which expects mutual respect; providing opportunities where all students can develop their gifts and talents to be productive members of the community.
History
The high school established its 9th grade class first in 1997. Each year the subsequent grades were added, and the campus enlarged, to accommodate the first graduating class in 2001. A football stadium was added in 2003.
The school was built on in the Kealakehe ahupuaa (traditional land division) at coordinates , on the slope of Hualālai. Kealakehe Intermediate School and Kealakehe Elementary School are also located nearby. The Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park and Honokōhau Harbour are downhill from the schools. The name means "the winding path" in the Hawaiian Language.
Notable Achievements
In 2007, the Milken Family Foundation awarded mathematics teacher Yannabah Lewis with a $25,000 Milken Award.
Extracurricular activities
Sports
A wide variety of sports is offered at Kealakehe, Fall sports include: football, cheerleading, bowling, girls volleyball, cross country, and riflery. Winter sports include: boys basketball, girls basketball, boys soccer, girls soccer, wrestling, swimming, and canoe paddling. Spring sports include: baseball (boys), golf, judo, softball (girls), tennis, track and field, boys volleyball, and girls water polo. All of which, compete under the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF). In order to play sports, there is a requirement of a minimum 2.0 GPA, a passing grade in all core classes, and must be passing citizenship class.
Between 2004 and 2012, the Kealakehe football team has won the Division I BIIF title seven times. The boys soccer team won the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2011–2012, and 2012-2013 BIIF Division I titles. The girls soccer team has won the 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 BIIF Division I title. In 2011-2012 they were undefeated. In 2012-2013, in the state championships they got 7th place. In 2009, the girls swim team, with only five girls, won the State Championships.
Academic programs
Academic Decathlon - 3rd in the state two years in a row
Academic World Quest- 1st place in the 2010 Hawaii Island Competition and 2nd place in the 2011 Hawaii State Competition, the top scoring public school in the state. 2nd place in the 2016 Hawaii State Competition and 2nd place in the 2017 Hawaii State Competition. FIRST Robotics Competition - Started in 2010. FRC World Championship Qualifiers Model United Nations National Honor Society Ocean Bowl - 1st place in 2007 and 2nd in 2008 (team members: Riley Saito, Emma Leonard, Todd Yamakawa, Sarah Crawford, Conrad Sanborn, Julius Guiterrez) -3rd place in 2010 Math League Science Bowl - 2nd place in 2008 (states) Science Fair - Kealakehe high school took 2nd place states(2019) and 3rd place internationally at Intel ISEF(Intel Science and Engineering Fair)(2019), additionally Kealakehe took winning places 1-5 (2008 district); 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th (2007 district); and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th (2006 district).
AP Courses
As of the 2020-2021 school year, the AP classes Kealakehe High School offer are: AP Literature Composition, AP World History, AP US History, AP Govt/Politics US, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP 3D design, AP Computer Science AB, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Seminar, and AP Research.
Clubs
Chess Club
Family, Careers, and community leaders
Gender, Sexuality, Allience, and Advocacy
Girls Who code
Interact Club - Working with close affiliations to the Rotary Club, the Kealakehe Interact Club has been the top Interact Club in the State of Hawaii for 12 years (2001–2013). Every year, at least 100 people from the school signs up, and the top 30 active members are rewarded with Interact Camp, where they go to Kolopa State Park. Jesus Club Key Club Korean Culture and Dance National Honors Society Travel club
Relay For Life
In February 2008, Kealakehe High School raised over $15,000. In February 2009, Kealakehe High School raised $27,227.65.