Local student competes at World's largest rodeo
Tyler Saito, a10th-grade student at Parker School earned a position on the Hawaii State high school rodeo team and traveled with 10 fellow teammates to Gillette, Wyoming from July 18th-24th to compete at the 62nd Annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) in the boys cutting competition. full story-photos

Parker School honors students
Parker School congratulates the students who made the Headmaster's List and Honor Roll during the third trimester of the 2009-2010 school year.  Students on the Headmaster's List earned a GPA of 3.67 or higher.  Honor Roll students earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Full Story

Parker School student received scholarship
Tawny Bright, of Waikoloa, is the recipient of the inaugural Aviles and Stover Fund for Science. Established by the medical practice of Dr. John D. Stover, the $1,000 annual, four-year scholarship is awarded to an entering Parker School freshman interested in science. Bright was chosen by a school committee and received the scholarship at a recent academic awards ceremony in the Parker School Theatre. (North Hawaii News, June 10, 2010) Full story-Photo

Parker School welcomes new Business Manager
Parker School is pleased to welcome Jonathan Vedelli as the new Business Manager.  Previously, a wealth advisor and private client services representative with Bank of Hawaii he brings extensive expertise to the school.  Jon and his wife Nicole live in Waimea and currently have a second grade son attending Parker School. 

Parker School Dramatiques presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast - slideshow
From costumes to choreography, the Parker School Dramatiques have been hard at work planning their biggest show to date, Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Performances will be held on May 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th at 7pm and May 9th and 16th at 3pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, children 4 and under are free. For Dramatiques schedules and pictures of previous performances, click here to view the Dramatiques shutterfly site.

Pictures from May Day, Makahiki Games and Luau
Please click the following link to see a slideshow of images from Parker School's May Day, Makahiki Games with Kanu O Ka Aina and the Parker School Luau. slideshow.

Market raises $16,000 for Parker School
Every Saturday morning Parker School’s campus is home to an enthusiastic group of farmers and artisans who bring the fruit of their labor to the Waimea Town Market.  From bakers to coffee farmers, sausage makers to orchid growers and producers of a cornucopia of vegetables and fruit in between, the offerings are many and varied.  Local chefs prepare delicious breakfasts.  You can even get your knives sharpened! More remarkable still, this volunteer-run market raised $16,000 for Parker School programs through the end of last year.  Started in the fall of 2008 by local farmer Paul Johnston, the market has grown steadily from its original nine booths, and now showcases the productions of over 30 vendors.  Visiting the market is now a ritual for Big Island food lovers, where residents and visitors alike enjoy meeting and socializing at the picnic tables, live music by “Woody” Young of Sunrise Farms, and the great view of Mauna Kea. (West Hawaii Today, April 28, 2010 - Hawaii Tribune Herald, May 2, 2010) Full story-Photo

Parker School Students Receive Recognition
Two Parker School eighth grade science projects received cash awards at the 53rd Annual Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair (HSSEF) on Oahu.  Blake Aholelei’s project titled, “Does Eye Color Affect Peripheral Vision?” was rewarded with a $50 cash prize from both the Hawaiian Eye Foundation and Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Hawaii Chapter.  Grant Nair’s project “Got Water?” received a $150 cash award from the Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch, Honolulu and $50 from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Full story

Parker student represents Hawaii 4-H in D.C.
Victoria Andrade-McKeehan, a Parker School sophomore and a member of the Hamakua 4-H Club, was one of four Hawaii 4-H members chosen to represent the 10,000 Hawaii 4-H members at the National 4-H Conference. The conference was held at the National 4-H Center in Washington D.C. in March. The Hawaii delegation discussed issues regarding education and youth with Senator Daniel Akaka and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono while on Capitol Hill. The delegates also met with the staff of Senator Inouye and visited the House of Representatives while touring the Capitol building. The Hawaii team taught a leadership workshop to conference delegates from the other U.S. states and Puerto Rico. (West Hawaii Today, April 21, 2010 - North Hawaii News, April 22, 2010) Full story-Photo

Great food and music at the Blue Dragon helps Parker School
On Friday, April 23, Parker School will hold a fund raiser at the Blue Dragon restaurant.  All funds raised will go to the Parker School music program. “We thank the Blue Dragon for hosting a similar event earlier this year which helped us provide an after school music enrichment program for our students” said Marilyn Fitzgerald, vice president of the Parent Teacher Student Organization. “We want people to come out and have a great time while helping the school, said Doug Beaton, president of the PTSO.” I cannot think of a better place to eat great food and listen to live music, Doug continued. The Blue Dragon will donate 25% of all gross proceeds from the evening’s event.  The music is being provided by Uncle Boogie, who plays classic rock, blues, and Latin. Full Story

Parker School Debate Team Members Advance to the State Championship
Parker School debaters have been working hard since the first day of school to perfect their technique with countless hours of research and many more of speech writing.  An astounding 85% (28 of 33 members) of the team qualified for the Hawaii Speech League Championship on Oahu April 15-17.  It is evident that Parker School’s focus on academics is equipping its students with the tools they need to be competitive and successful.  Full story

Parker School Announces Smart Scholarship Recipients
Parker School’s Smart Scholarship recipients for 2010-2014 include Lysha Matsunobu, Marie Jobes and Tiana Reynolds.  Smart Scholarships, available to incoming freshmen grant $8,500 annually to three students covering a majority of tuition for their freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior year at Parker School.  Competition was intense with 19 applicants vying for the three awards. Full story

Parker School Student Receives Young Singers Program Scholarship
Parker School Junior, Michael Zen Kuriyama has been awarded a full scholarship to attend the Young Singers Program for the second year in a row. The Young Singers Program is part of the month long activities presented by the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival during the summer in Waimea. Full Story

Parker School Congratulates Student Achievements
Congratulations to Parker School students, Zen Michael Kuriyama and Corey Patton for winning our Shakespeare Recitation Contest and Poetry Out Loud Competition respectively. Congratulations to Parker School 8th grader Lysha Matsunobu, who ranked 4th on the island in the MATHCOUNTS middle school math competition on February 6 at Kealakehe Intermediate School. Congratulations to Parker School students, Grant Nair and Blake Aholelei who qualified for the state competition at the District Science Fair on February 13th. Congratulations also to Marie Jobes who won Best in Show for her category. Full Story

Kid Pan Alley Residency and Concert with Paul Reisler
Parker School welcomed Paul Reisler on February 16 - 18. Paul worked with the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students. Each grade wrote their own song culminating in a concert on February 18th. Click here to see a slideshow of Paul Reisler at Parker School.

Creativity Abounds at Parker School’s Annual Art Start Program
Parker School students experienced first hand what it is like to live as an artist for a day.   The annual program Art Start gives students the opportunity to learn from local artists in various disciplines and this year took on a new direction by celebrating and reflecting the multi-arts approach reflected within Parker School’s Fine Arts Department.   In addition to the visual artists that have been the traditional foundation of Art Start, the program integrated literary, performing and media arts as well. Full story - photos  (West Hawaii Today - March 10, 2010)

Kahiau, Parker School's auction gala to raise money for financial aid, raised over $135,000.
Mahalo to all of the sponsors, donors, volunteers and participants who made kahiau our 5th Annual fundraising gala for financial aid and scholarships a huge success! For a list of sponsors and donors and donors, please click here.

Parker Expansion Approved - Leeward Commission OK's growth - with caveats
by Erin Miller, West Hawaii Today, February 27, 2010
Community groups met for months to work out an agreement regarding Parker School's expansion request, which went before the Leeward Planning Commission on Friday. But despite overwhelming testimony from participants, community group representatives and Parker School employees that the agreement represented a consensus, planning commissioners voted unanimously in favor of a use permit amendment that did not incorporate the agreement. Click here to read more.

Kid Pan Alley Residency and Concert with Paul Reisler
Parker School welcomed Paul Reisler on February 16 - 18. Paul worked with the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students. Each grade wrote their own song culminating in a concert on February 18th. Click here to see a slideshow of Paul Reisler at Parker School.

Congratulations to Zen Michael Kuriyama
Congratulations to Zen Michael Kuriyama placing 2nd at the Shakespeare Recitation State Competition. Zen, who represented Parker School on Oahu two years ago in the Poetry Out Loud, prevailed with a monologue from Twelfth Night, performing Duke Orsino. (West Hawaii Today - March 3, 2010)

Congratulations to Corey Patton
Congratulations to Corey Patton who won Parker School's Poetry Out Loud Competition. Corey triumphed over eleven other hopefuls with the poem “Sympathy,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar. He will fly to Oahu on February 28 to compete at the State level; the winner of that contest will compete in Washington D.C. (West Hawaii Today - March 3, 2010)

Parker School Seventh Grade Goes Medieval
After studying the medieval period in history class with Mrs. Sturges, Parker School seventh graders reenacted their own medieval feast.  Complete with food and drink the feast lacked nothing except plates, knives and forks.  In keeping with historic accuracy the students devoured their meal of fowl from the air, fish from the sea and swine from the land served on trenchers of square of homemade bread, gingerbread cookies were the sweet treat at the end of the meal.  In keeping with the theme, senior students acted as servers to the noble seventh grade banquet attendees. (North Hawaii News, December 24, 2009) Full Story-Photos

Parker Middle School students present scientific experiments
Parker Middle School students participated in the annual science fair, demonstrating their knowledge of science.  Students in grades 6-8 presented their projects and explained to visiting parents, teachers, students and friends their hypothesis, prediction and outcome of the issue they investigated.  Twenty exhibits were selected for display at the W. M. Keck Observatory where volunteer judges selected 6 projects to advance to the Hilo district science fair in February.  Parker School representatives will be Kelly Kennedy in the 6th grade, Blake Aholele, Michael Note, and Davy Ragland in the 7th grade and 8th graders Carra Bowes, and Grant Nair. Full Story-Photos

For more Parker School news stories, please click here to go to the archive page.