Hawaii students serve in honor of Lieutenant Nainoa Hoe

On Saturday, December 05, 2009, the PAAC After-School Class at Roosevelt, Kaimuki and Radford High Schools participated in the 2009 Holiday Classic for the Special Olympics Hawaii.  The event took place at Hickam Air force Base at Hanger 34/35.  The hangers were decorated and transformed into Olympic Town; a place where the athletes go to have fun doing arts & crafts, games, etc. before the opening ceremonies.  The students helped with the set up of Olympic Town and worked at various stations such as: craft tables, game stations, food service and leading the processionals during the opening ceremonies.

Some students took turns wearing a panda costume to serve as the Panda Express mascot as they were the caterers for this event.  Prior to the event the students learned the history of the Special Olympics, the rules and regulations as it pertains to working with the participants and learned the Special Olympics Hawaii motto:  “Be a fan of dignity.  Be a fan of acceptance.  Be a fan of the human race.  Be a fan of Special Olympics Hawaii. Volunteer.”  

The students are required to organize a Global Action Project, a service learning activity that focuses on a global issue at the local level.  They chose to work with persons with special needs.  The students dedicated this Global Action Project to the memory of Hawaii’s own Lieutenant Nainoa Hoe (1978-2005).