Hollywood Winners

Community Contributed by Catherine Aki

Every year, students at Kualapu`u School get to enjoy the spotlight at the Hollywood Gala event. Nearly 100 people attended as students received certificates of recognition for their multimedia projects. Second grader Ikena DuPonte’s PowerPoint presentation was chosen from the lower grades as the best project. Yes, second graders make PowerPoints. Kahale Ramos had the best multimedia project from the upper grades. Kahale Ramos’s Japan project was chosen as the overall school winner. The best dressed Red Carpet Hollywood style child was Maile Sasada in purple and the best dress adult was Kamalu Poepoe with her feathered hat.

Winners of the Hollywood Gala are chosen through a peer review process which allows students to see the work of classmates and other grades. Students were instructed to evaluate peer projects based upon criteria such as editing, transitions, organization, musical components and voice narration. Although some of the videos may seem simple, they represent about 27 hours per year of class time.