Kaimuki High School

Kaimuki High School is a comprehensive four-year, co-educational high school accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).^[2] The school is located in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Department of Education. It is bordered by the Manoa-Palolo Drainage Canal, Kapiolani Boulevard, Kaimuki Avenue, Crane Park and Date Street. It is, as its alma mater states, in view of Diamond Head. The campus boasts the sculpture Pueo (owl) by Charles W. Watson.

Kaimuki High School
Address
2705 Kaimuki Avenue Honolulu , Hawaii 96816 United States
Information
Type	Public, high school
Established	1943; 82 years ago (1943)
School district	Hawaii State Department of Education
Principal	Jamie Dela Cruz
Faculty	48.00 (FTE) (2022–23)[1]
Grades	9–12
Gender	Co-educational
Number of students	620 (2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	12.92 (2022–23)[1]
Campus	Urban
Color(s)	Green and Gold
Athletics	Oahu Interscholastic Association
Mascot	Bulldog
Accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Newspaper	The Bulldog
Yearbook	Ka Hali'a
Military	Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC)
Website	kaimukihs.org

Kaimuki High School is one of the six public schools in the Honolulu District.^[2] As of the 2023-2024 school year, the school has an enrollment of 620 students.^[2]

Kaimuki draws its students from the feeder schools of Jarrett Middle and Washington Middle.^[2]

History

During World War II when schools were allowed to reopen, a McKinley Annex was started in Kaimuki Intermediate School for sophomores and juniors residing in that part of the city. These students went to school in the afternoon from 12:20 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In September 1943, the McKinley Annex became Kaimuki High School. The student government was established along democratic lines. A constitution written cooperatively was adopted by the student body in 1944.^[2]

In 1947, plans for Kaimuki High School's new location were initiated and construction began.^[2]

By September 1950, a total of 45 standard sized classrooms, three shops, and a cafeteria were available for use. The administration building was occupied in October 1950. Kelly Green and Light Gold were adopted as the school colors in 1950. In 1951, 1952, and 1953, additional buildings to house business education, agriculture, science, art, homemaking, mechanical drawing, publications, and girls' and boys' physical education were completed. The public address system was installed in 1953.^[2]

In 1954, grandstands to accommodate 1,554 students were erected on the campus, since there was no auditorium. For safety reasons, these grandstands were dismantled in 1973.^[2]

The music building was completed during the summer of 1956. Playcourts for boys and girls were completed during the 1957-58 school year, and in 1961 the 50-meter Olympic swimming pool was completed. A new auto mechanics shop was completed in 1962. Two Quonset huts were also purchased and moved onto campus.^[2]

On April 10, 1964, Kaimuki High School dedicated its new gymnasium. In 1983, grade 9 was added to the student body. An auditorium to accommodate 600 students was also built. The performing arts learning center was established in 1987.^[2]

Curriculum

In 2024 U.S. News & World Report ranked the school as #38-41 in the state, and #13,242-17,655 nationally.

The school offers career pathways through the school's Career Technical Education program. These pathways include Building and Construction, Culinary Arts, Engineering, Film & Media, and Hospital & Tourism. Each pathway has a total of four classes.^[3]

Graduation requirements

As of the 2024-2025 school year, per the HIDOE graduation requirements, the school requires a total of 24 credits to graduate. These are four credits in English, four credits in Social Studies, three credits in Mathematics, three credits in Science, two credits in either World Language, Fine Arts, or Career Technical Education/Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), one credit in Physical Education, half a credit in Health, and half a credit for the Personal Transition Plan (PTP).^[4]To earn an Academic Honors certificate, students must have four credits in mathematics and four credits in Science, along with two credits in either AP, IB, or college courses.

For dual-credit, the school offers Running Start and Jump Start. These programs are provided through a collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi community college system, known as Kaimuki2College. Through the program, students are able to take college-level courses on both the high school campus and at the Kapiʻolani Community College.^[5]

Complex Area Information

Kaimuki High School is part of the Hawaii Department of Education Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt Complex Area along with McKinley High School and Roosevelt High School.

Kaimuki Complex

The Kaimuki Complex consists of 9 elementary and middle schools in addition to Kaimuki High School.

• Ala Wai Elementary School
• Aliiolani Elementary School
• Hokulani Elementary School
• Jarrett Middle School
• Jefferson Elementary School
• Kuhio Elementary School
• Lunalilo Elementary School
• Palolo Elementary School
• Washington Middle School

Feeder Middle Schools

Kaimuki High School feeds primarily from 3 middle schools in the Honolulu area.

• William Paul Jarrett Middle School
• President George Washington Middle School
• Kaimuki Middle School

Notable alumni

Listed alphabetically by last name (year of graduation):

• Thelma Kalama Aiu (1931–1999) – swimming gold medalist at the 1948 London Olympics, and a student of Soichi Sakamoto^[6]
• Keith Hayashi – Hawaii Department of Education Superintendent^[7]

• Mazie Hirono (1966) – U.S. Senator^[8]
• Owen Ho – designer of the "Shaka Santa" and the annual holiday display fronting Honolulu’s City Hall^[7]
• Brian Kolfage (1999) – veteran of the United States Air Force and the founder of the organization We Build the Wall^[9]
• Ruthie Ann Miles (2001) – actress^[10]
• Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano – retired University of Hawaiʻi Athletics administrator and former Rainbow Wahine volleyball player^[7]
• Florence T. Nakakuni – United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii^[11]
• Franklin Odo (1957) – author, activist and historian^[12]
• Jack Rabanal – breakdancer^[7]
• Stan Sakai – artist^[13]
• Jake Shimabukuro – ukulele virtuoso^[14]
• Don Stroud – actor^[15]

Ohana O Mele

Among the notable organizations at Kaimuki High School is a musical group called Ohana O Mele. Ohana O Mele is the advanced Polynesian music class founded in 1977 by former teacher William Kaneda. After his retirement, Ohana O Mele remained inactive until being revitalized by then-current teacher Darryl Loo in 1996. Many well-known local musicians are alumni to this group, including Kapena, Ernie Cruz Jr., and John Feary.

After Darryl Loo's retirement, the Kaimuki alumnus Robert Yu took over as the Polynesian music instructor and renamed the group "Ka Ohana O Mele".

In the class, students hone their musical skills on instruments including the ukulele, guitar, electric bass, and drums. Aside from cultivating musical skill, the students also learn a great deal about the aspects of performance. During the Christmas period, the group tours to perform for students in various elementary and intermediate schools. The group has also been invited to perform at the Academy of Arts and for the opening of the state legislature. In addition to playing gigs at the Honolulu International Airport, various hotels, and even retirement homes, Ohana O Mele puts on an annual concert at Kaimuki High School entitled “Kanikapila”.^[16]