The NHIS Student Government is excited to launch a new segment where we address questions and feedback on important school events and topics. Each edition will focus on a specific theme, providing clarity, updates, and insights directly from the Student Government team.

For our first segment, we’re tackling Songfest! We’ve gathered your feedback and are addressing common questions about participation, judging, MC selection, seating, and more. Mahalo for sharing your thoughts—we’re committed to making Songfest an even better experience for our school community!

Q: I loved seeing the student participation, but why weren’t all grade levels involved?
A: A survey was sent out to the student body to understand why some students chose not to participate. The most common responses included:

• Rehearsal schedule conflicts with other commitments
• Fear of singing in front of a large crowd
• Lack of interest in participating

Some advisors held Songfest meetings during the school day with only 3 or less students showing up. We recognize that participation is key to keeping the tradition alive, and we along with class advisors will continue to work on ways to encourage more students to join while being mindful of these concerns.

Q: When Songfest first began, it was mandatory. Why can it not be mandatory again?

A: Yes, Songfest was once mandatory when the school had an “activity” period built into the schedule, allowing coaches to work with entire grade levels during the school day. However, 34 years later, our bell schedule has changed, and many of the coaches are not school staff—meaning they can only attend evening rehearsals, making mandatory participation difficult to enforce.

Additionally, making Songfest mandatory raises important questions:

• What would be the consequences for not participating?
• How do we fairly enforce participation across all students?

Currently, one of the requirements to run for Homecoming Court, May Day Court, and Prom Court is participation in Songfest. This policy has been in place for several years, yet it has not significantly increased participation.

Furthermore, we cannot penalize students academically by making Songfest part of their grade or offering extra credit unless it is formally included in a course curriculum. Similarly, we cannot prevent students from participating in athletics or other co-curricular activities if they choose not to participate in Songfest.

It is important to note that Songfest is coordinated and run by Student Government students, who work hard to organize logistics, select MCs, and manage event operations. Their efforts help keep this tradition alive, but increasing participation requires a collective effort from students, advisors, and the community.

What would help is families and the community encouraging students to take part in Songfest. Having strong support from parents, mentors, and peers can make a difference in fostering pride and participation in this tradition.

Q: The seating was a challenge—will this be improved next year?
A: Yes! We acknowledge the seating issues and apologize for the shortage of chairs. The school has now purchased 250 additional folding chairs, meaning we will have at least 350 floor seats available next year. We will also look into designated sections for kupuna, parents with young children, and special guests to improve overall comfort.

Q: Some special guests weren’t listed at check-in—how can this be fixed?
A: The guest list was based on the Google Form advisors were asked to complete, and unfortunately, some names were missing. Next year, we will implement a confirmation system to ensure all special guests are accounted for. A clear sign at the check-in table will also help direct guests.

Q: Can the judging process be improved?
A: The judging rubrics have been in place for over 15 years and were shared with grade levels at the beginning of the school year. For sponsored awards, tiebreakers are determined by the sponsors themselves. As for the Student Government-sponsored awards (Overall, Song Leader, and ‘Ōlelo), we will revisit with Student Government students to determine if we need to revise or create a clearer tiebreaker system for future competitions.

It’s important to note that this is the first time in at least eight years that concerns about revising the rubrics have been raised. While we are open to reviewing the process, the rubrics were created to ensure fairness and consistency and have been successfully used for many years. Any changes would need to carefully balance tradition, clarity, and fairness for all participants.

Additionally, as with any judged event, there is always a level of subjectivity. Each judge brings their own background, experience, and interpretation to the process, which may result in differing opinions. While the rubric provides structured criteria, judging will always involve some individual perspective and evaluation.

Q: The MCs were great, but could they be more engaging and use more Hawaiian language?

A: Since Student Government students are responsible for coordinating Songfest, MCs are selected from this group. Our focus is on choosing students who are comfortable speaking in front of a large audience, as we have had instances in the past where students experienced stage fright.

The primary focus of the MCs is on class speakers and student performances, ensuring that the MCs support the flow of the event rather than serving as the main source of entertainment.

Final Thoughts: We appreciate everyone’s passion for keeping the Songfest tradition strong! We are taking all feedback into consideration to make next year’s event bigger, better, and more inclusive. If you have any additional suggestions, feel free to reach out!