On Tuesday, our schoolwide Ka Lā Aloha – Day of Love – celebration was packed with activity. There were food booths, crafts and games booths, music, a Scholastic Book Fair, and talent show put on by the Upper School students. This annual tradition has been going on for the past several decades and both students and faculty look forward to the fun.
Ka Lā Aloha is also the cumulation of Spirit Week, which started last week and affords students the opportunity to show their spirit by dressing up on the various theme days. Students were able to express their creativity this year on pajama day, squad day, Disney day and grade wars day.
St. Andrew's schedules Ka Lā Aloha to coincide with Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, a celebration of life before the more somber occasion of Ash Wednesday that marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Students and faculty were encouraged to wear the Mardi Gras colors of green, purple or gold/yellow.
"Ka Lā Aloha has always brought our school community together to have fun and have a great time," Lower School Principal Ka'ipo Bailey-Walsh said. "It's a day when we can all celebrate and applaud our students' talents and support their efforts. What I like most about Ka Lā Aloha is seeing our students work together to fundraise for their clubs or class. There were some really awesome booths this year and I loved the variety of food being sold, including some healthy choices. The laughter, smiles, colorful clothes and beads made it all worthwhile. It was an incredibly fun day!"
Dozens of booths sold food items such as banana lumpia, takoyaki and pizza, as well as crafts like beeswax cloths. Eager shoppers purchased their goods while enjoying music playing in Ylang Ylang Courtyard. Proceeds from each booth support several campus clubs and classes.
The day concluded with the Upper Schools' Talent Show in the gym. Several students amazed the crowd with a magic show and dancing and singing performances.
It was certainly a day of much aloha on campus, and just one of many opportunities for our faculty, staff and students to gather together as a school family, enjoying our vibrant and loving community.
