On August 12, 2016, NHIS students and staff came together at the NHIS gymnasium for the annual Welcome Back assembly, where new teachers, new council members were introduced and incoming 7th graders were welcomed.

This year the Welcome Back Assembly was trying to focus on making it more fun and interesting for the NHIS students and to try different ways to pump up the audience and the new teachers.

Jean Nishi, Student Activities coordinator, said that preparing for the assembly was challenging. “Although the ideas came out during the leadership planning meeting that we had during the summer, not everyone was present at that. Some of the grade levels didn’t have all their officers in place so they had to scramble to do that.”

The Welcome Back Assembly began with the JROTC presenting the colors and the band playing the National Anthem and the Hawai’i Pono’i.

Then Darin Pilialoha, NHIS principal, gave a speech to the students about being respectful to their teachers and to their peers and to always try and be good role models for the younger students coming into the high school. Pilialoha also talked taking care of their school and making sure that their school looked good.

After the speech from Pilialoha, the MC’s, Rosalie Hobb’s and Christopher Seumanutafa-Noa introduced the theme of the assembly, “New Beginnings,Lasting Memories and Remembering Our Legacy.”

Next, the MC’s introduced the new teachers and asked them to come to the middle of the floor for a little surprise. As the new teachers stood in the middle of the floor confused, the new council members came up with their advisors and they were introduced. Then the council members grabbed a new teacher and started to dance with them to the song the council members selected based on a decade. The dances were a way of making the teachers feel welcomed and appreciated, and have fun and to show off their moves.

“I had to go out there and I didn’t know what to expect and I feel like everyone else knew what to expect, and i made a fool of myself, and I guess that was entertaining to a lot of people,” said David Kaniaupio, the new 10th grade History teacher.

“I really enjoyed the sense of the community and I am looking forward to being more involved in this community.” said Cedric Abdul-Hakeem, the new 10th grade English teacher.

Andy Moody, NHIS Athletic Director, then came up to talk about new updates on the athletic teams such as the Varsity Football team moving into Division 1 this year. He also said that there were still spaces available for students who wanted to join any of the athletic teams this year.

Finally, MC’s, Rosalie and Christopher, asked everyone to stand to sing their Alma Mater that was lead by the NHIS Cheerleaders and band.

Reaction to the Welcome Back Assembly was mostly positive.

“It was awesome and it was my first time and I liked it. I feel really comfortable coming to this school and I thank you for accepting me to Nanakuli Intermediate,” said, 7th grader, Sosefina Vaivao.

Robyn Faumuina, English teacher, said, “I thought that everybody was really well behaved, very spirited and it wasn’t so hot in there today. I’m looking forward to working hard and getting through this school year and getting to the next, first break.”