Hilo High School

Last updated

Hilo High School
HHSLogo2017.gif
Address
Hilo High School
556 Waianuenue Avenue

Hilo
,
Hawaii
96720

United States
Information
TypePublic, co-educational
Motto"Once a Viking...Always a Viking"
Established1906
School districtHawaii District
PrincipalJasmine Urasaki
Faculty78.00 (FTE) [1]
Grades9–12
Number of students1,317 (2022–23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio16.88 [1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Blue and Gold   
AthleticsBig Island Interscholastic Federation
MascotViking
Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges
NewspaperKVIKS News Bulletin
MilitaryUnited States Army JROTC
Website www.hilohs.k12.hi.us
DesignatedJune 29, 2002
Reference no.50-10-35-07522 [2]
Part ofPublic Schools on the Island of Hawaiʻi

Hilo High School is a public, co-educational high school of the Hawaii State Department of Education, and serves grades nine through twelve. Established in 1906, its first class graduated in 1909. Hilo High School is near the Wailuku River in Hawaii County on the Big Island of Hawaii, United States. The campus boasts the black marble terrazzo and gray gravel sculpture Matrix by Ken Shutt in the middle of its two patios in its courtyard. The school is situated at 556 Waianuenue Avenue on across the street from Hilo Intermediate School, one of its two feeder schools, the other being Kalanianaole Intermediate School. Hilo's symbol and mascot is the Viking and its school colors are blue and gold. Hilo High School celebrated its centennial during Homecoming of 2006. Hilo High School's crosstown rivals are the Warriors of Waiakea High School.

Contents

History

Hilo High School was started by the school authorities in September 1905. The idea for a high school is attributed to Josephine Deyo, principal of Hilo Union School. The weak public interest eventually grew stronger as the public realized the benefits from a high school in Hilo, Hawaii. At the time, the only High Schools on the island were Kau High and Pahala Elementary School and Honokaa High & Intermediate School, both over 30 miles away in rural sugar communities that were disconnected from most of the island and were only accessible by railroad. Most students who wished to attend high school went to boarding school in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The school changed location in 1907 to the District Annex location and was then named Hilo Junior High School. It was moved yet again in 1922 to its present location on Waianuenue Avenue.

Timeline of the 556 Waianuenue Ave. campus

Academics

Academies

As part of a restructuring process started in the 2022-2023 school year, Hilo High School has converted into a career academy system. 9th graders are placed into a cohort academy, with career academies being implemented for 10-12th graders. The academies are the Academy of Health & Human Services, Academy of Construction & Engineering, and the Academy of Business and Natural Resources. [3]

Curriculum

The school offers AP, Early College, and Running Start classes. As of 2024, the school requires 4 credits in English and Social Studies, and 3 credits in Science and Math. For electives, students are required to take 2 credits in either Fine Arts, World Language, or Career and Technical Education, 1 credit in Physical Education, 0.5 credits in Health, and as of the Class of 2026, 0.5 credits in Transition to High School.

As part of the Hawaii DOE Learning Center program, students are offered to take a class at the Performance Arts Learning Center (PALC), which offers a semester credit in Acting. The program, established in 1977, allows high school students to participate in theater arts. To enter, students must apply for the program.

Extraciricular activities

Clubs

Hilo High offers a variety of clubs, including:

Hilo High School Foundation

The Hilo High School Foundation was formed in 1990, with the purpose of creating and maintaining an endowment fund that would fund educational programs and activities at Hilo High School that would not or could not be funded from State of Hawaii funds. It annually provides the school with the interest earnings for distribution to programs. A committee designated by the Principal solicits and reviews proposals from faculty for new and innovative programs that benefit the educational experience of Hilo High School students.

To date, the Foundation has distributed a total of over $130,000 to Hilo High School. Its 2005 Financial Report place its assets at $724,063.44. [4]

Class mascot and colors

Commencement

Hilo High School's commencement exercises are normally held during the end of May.

Hilo High school has several commencement traditions that stretch back to the school's first graduation in 1909. The graduating class recites a variation of Gaudeamus Igitur with lyrics directly referencing Hilo High, and members of the Hilo High School Alumni Association pass out a lei to every graduate. This latter tradition is attributed to the patriarch of the Tong family, who was among the school's first graduates and supposedly gave a lei to a fellow graduate who was without one during their commencement ceremony. The Tong family also awarded the school's Salutatorian award and trophy with a cash prize until 2003, when the Salutatorian returned the cash prize out of respect for the family's disagreement with the school's current practice of awarding the Valedictorian distinction to more than one student. The Valedictorian trophy is maintained by the Hilo High School Foundation.

With the introduction of AP classes to Hilo High, it is possible for more than one student to become a valedictorian within the same graduating class. The current requirements for becoming a valedictorian include getting the distinguished BOE diploma as well as getting a weighted GPA of at least 4.0.

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Hilo High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Historic Register Counts". Hawai'i State Historic Preservation Division. State of Hawaii. February 1, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). hilohs.k12.hi.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 30, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Hilo High School Foundation Fiscal Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
  5. ↑ "12. James Kealoha Park", Beaches of the Big Island, University of Hawaii Press, pp. 25–26, December 31, 1985, doi:10.1515/9780824840815-016, ISBN   978-0-8248-4081-5 , retrieved February 18, 2025
  6. ↑ Saiki, Patricia. Honoring PATRICIA SAIKI Distinguished Alumna. http://www.hilohighfoundation.org/sites/default/files/documents/2017-Patricia Saiki.pdf.
  7. ↑ "Yoshinobu Oyakawa". hawaiiswim.org. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  8. ↑ "UHH Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards". UH Alumni. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  9. ↑ Caraccio, David. “Investor, Author of ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ Lists Hawaii Home on Edge of Ocean for $7.35M.” Sacramento Bee, 25 July 2022, www.sacbee.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article263819453.html
  10. ↑ "Genome editing pioneer and Hilo High graduate Jennifer Doudna speaks at UH Hilo about her discovery: CRISPR technology". UH Hilo Stories. September 19, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  11. ↑ Pollack, Andrew (May 11, 2015). "Jennifer Doudna, a Pioneer Who Helped Simplify Genome Editing". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Candidate Q&A — Senate District 4: Lorraine Inouye". Civil Beat. July 11, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Teen Tales", Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Hilo, Hawaii, 9 February 1951
  14. ↑ Damon, Tucker (January 18, 2009). "Hilo High Grad Lois-Ann Yamanaka Gets New York Times Exposure". damontucker.wordpress.com. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Principal's Message". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011.
  16. ↑ "BJ Penn Hall of Fame Member". September 14, 2018.
  17. ↑ Buan, Robert (June 17, 2023). "Hilo High School product now playing in College World Series". KITV Island News. Retrieved September 23, 2023.

19°43′16″N155°05′46″W / 19.72102°N 155.09608°W / 19.72102; -155.09608

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