Their class is called Lani, Hawaiian word for “The Sky”. They are together in one jolly homeroom, and they are aware that come end of the school year, half of the class (the pre-first graders) will move on to separate elementary schools, and the other half (a year younger) will stay on at Kailua for another school year. The children have bonded very well, and their friendship continues to grow as the year progresses.
This school year, Kailua chose a trip to the zoo as the annual bonding event for the graduating students and their younger peers. The purpose of the activity was to celebrate the children’s closeness and to further strengthen their friendship before they part ways at the end of the school year. The class visited the Chiba Zoological Park on a cold day in February.
The children’s enthusiasm was undeterred by the wintry temperature. The excitement was high, and the ride on the elevated monorail further added to the fun as the children ignored the empty seats and preferred to stand to watch the view below. After a group photo at the entrance of the park, the group followed the pre-set tour, from the monkey “village”, to the apes, the birds and the other zoo denizens. A 30-minute stay at the zoo petting section with white mice and guinea pigs, and inside the goat’s enclosure to help sweep the droppings really thrilled everyone. A sumptuous lunch at the park’s restaurant ended the zoo visit.
The bond was made a lot stronger; and on March 18, Friday, as the Lani Class graduates stood proudly on stage, and with the audience in admiration, their younger counterparts accepted the turnover of duties and vowed to continue the good work as leaders for the next school year – and the cycle will go on. Aloha!
