Highlands Halloween Art Contest 2024

The Highlands Halloween Art Contest 2024 started off the spooky season with a bang! Congrats to all of our winners and a huge thank you to all who participated! Honorable Mention went to Isabella, Athena, and Faymelin-Starr! Third Place went to Alexandria with a very colorful drawing wishing everyone a Happy Halloween. In 2nd Place it was Ceana with a very scary drawing sure to keep everybody up at night! And, last but certainly not least, it was Samantha in 1st Place! The drawing was of a haunted house so realistic, it looks like a photograph! Congratulations again to all of our winners! Jude Darby, Historian Committee

1st Place! Malama Pu’uloa 5,000 Flats Contest

What does a school do to earn a prize of pizza for a hundred people? Well, they plant plants! Lots and lots and lots of plants! This year, Highlands Intermediate participated in the Malama Pu’uloa 5,000 Flats Contest, a contest among the schools of Hawaii to plant as much 'ākulikuli, a Native Hawaiian plant, as possible. These 'ākulikuli would then be planted at Pearl Harbor to help restore its glory. And with the help of the Highlands Aquaponics class, Aloha Aina, and Student Council, we were able to plant the most 'ākulikuli of all the schools, earning the first place prize- pizza for a hundred students! So, on May 16, 2022, we gathered up all of the impressive students that made this possible into the cafeteria for their celebration party! That day, the kids celebrated their year-long efforts that have made Pearl Harbor a healthier place! Congratulations to everyone! Mia, Student Government Vice President

3rd Place - Highlands Valentine's Poetry Contest 2022

Hanahaki Disease
Kylee Mizumoto


I have always been fond of flowers,
Watering them is a part of my routine.
Vivid petals make my inside delight,
That was until I met you.

Glancing at your side,
The sunray enhancing your alluring nature.
Your euphonious voice is music to my ears,
Hence making my inside fuzzy.

Vines stretched my lungs,
Making me breathless.
Beautiful flowers that I’ve always adored,
Now continuously dropping from my mouth.

Crimson liquid puddled up in my hand,
Still desperately gasping.
A mix of bitterness and sweetness,
That is what a piteous person like me feels.

A sweet beginning with a bitter ending,
You can say that.
Before the last petal falls out,
Can I at least gather them all and give them to you?

As a token of my unspoken, I love you.

2nd Place - Highlands Valentine's Poetry Contest 2022

Why?
Julianna Muramoto


Why?

Blinding sun rays that once rid eyes from glaring
Suddenly dim and envelope the atmosphere so gently
Like the caring touch of a lover
Tenacious winds slow to a tranquil breeze,
As if any harsher it could break the fragility
Of that a being entranced by love itself.

Why?

Why is it so a condition
That whenever you seem to be around,
These dull and gloomy sights
Suddenly burst with vibrance and warmth?
Why is it that one can feel this way,
Is this what love is supposed to feel like?

Why?

If this is love, how can it be so sickening?
As if a disease that flabbergastingly
I do not wish to be cured of.
Why is it that even your very existence
Brings heat to my face and life to my heart?

Why?

It's that I am in love with you.
Love for your being, your care, your very actions.
You are the reason I know what love is like.

1st Place - Highlands Valentine's Poetry Contest 2022

Crush
Kamaile Pa’aluhi


Thousands of unsent emails
Words left unsaid
I just can’t compose the right words
It’s impossible to get you out of my head

How would I tell what everyone knows
You walk past and my heart begins to flutter
I feel the redness spreading across my face
Now I can’t focus and my words stutter

I’m not one with my words
It becomes hard to concentrate and difficult to think
This language seeming alien as I attempt to talk
You walk away before I can even blink

Although it will be a while before I talk to you
I get anxious and nervous, I won’t deny
So here, I can only secretly wish you one thing
A happy Valentine’s.

Halloween 2022: Candy Guess Contest

The Candy Guess Contest of Halloween 2021 was a sugar rush full of a whole lot of fun and excitement! On October 29th, Dance committee set up their treats for this contest! Within the long lines of students and spooky music that played from the boombox was a booth that had 4 different jars filled with candy. Participants who took part in this event wrote on a small piece of paper their full name, date, Homeroom class, Team, and their guesses for the 4 jars of candy. The goal was to guess how much candy was in the 4 jars that were an arrangement of many sweets, to Starburst, Jolly Ranchers, Lollipops, and Peppermints! After the long line of students and the music that was playing stopped, The hosts that ran this event announced the 4 winners who got the closest to the amount of candy in the jars! The 4 winners won the jar they guessed closest and took it home to have a very sugary sweet Halloween! Kayli, Promotions Committee Chair  

Halloween Activities 2021

Boo! The spooky season of Halloween had finally crept up on us! For the students of Highlands Intermediate, this meant weeks full of competitive activities, dramatic costumes, and the infamous Highlands Haunted House! And as always, we thank Student Council and their lovely advisor Mr. White for the planning and facilitation of all of these amazing activities. Throughout the Fall season, students were able to participate in events like the costume contest, candy guess contest, mummy wrap and races, spooky story contests, and more! Then, when tensions reached their high and the Halloween spirit was at its brim, Highlands Haunted House 9: Stranger Things opened to our anxiously waiting students! For an entire week, teams entered our spooky scary haunted house led by guides, and faced glowing walls, animatronics, and terrifyingly good actors. Throughout everything, we know we made Halloween 2021 a memorable time for the students of Highlands Intermediate. Go Colts! Mia, Student Council Vice President

Spooky Story Contest 2021 - 3rd Place! "The Haunted History of Highlands Intermediate"

The Haunted History of Highlands Intermediate
By Alayna Sambrano

*all the stories below are real*

It's that time of year again, when little kids dress up and get super hyper with the trick or treat candy they snagged from their local neighborhood. Also, it's that time when a very energetic place comes alive with spooky-tacular fun! Yes, the haunted house that Highlands puts on every year is coming but something more than that. The Highlands for many many years have had spiritual activity. Not only the BOO! Scares but the ghost scares. Yes you heard me correctly GHOST are present in Highlands Intermediate. You may think that Highlands is not haunted anymore from the great Lopaka Kapanui coming to chase away the ghosts. But you would have to find out for yourself!

On your normal daily basis of being in highlands you might think it's your average middle school. BUT it's way more than that, Little ghost boys being rascals and playing with teachers stuff when less expected to old fellow teachers who came back to haunt their classrooms. You never know what's gonna happen next. But I'll tell you all of these stories, so you'll be ready for the next ghost you meet eyes with.

The tale of the people in the roofs: I was in class in D building doing the SBA test and it was quiet as a mouse. Then out of nowhere THUMP everyone looked around curiously. The thump sounded like an elephant having a dance party up stairs. Then we went back to work. But again THUMP DRAG THUMP DRAG. It sounded like this ‘ghost’ was carrying a dead body. My teacher went to go talk to the teacher up stairs during recess and the teacher was taking the SBA test too. So what does that mean? A ghost! The other day my teacher was putting something on the roof of their class room and they saw human-like eyes staring at them.

The mystery caller: this was actually a week or two ago. I was in the student council room building the haunted house when the phone rang too many times to count. Then we had enough and my friend answered “hi this is the student council room how may i help you?”

“Oh hi uhm you called me so i called you back?” said the teacher on the other side of the phone. My friend sat there surprised and super confused. Then my friend called the facilitator of the student council and they picked up the phone and said “ oh i'm sorry but i didn't call you at all no one was near the phone at all”. Both of the teachers were confused, they hung up and acted like nothing happened. But little did they know that highlands spiritual activity is coming alive

The car in A building: It was a normal day and this teacher was super mean and yelled at everything they could. Till one day they came into the classroom and all the tables, computers, and furniture were moved. The teacher knew who did it. IT HAD TO BE THE JANITORS! The teacher stormed to the janitors and yelled at the janitors. But the janitors didn't move anything at all “ please I didn't do anything stop yelling! I took out your trash and that was it!” the janitor said. The teacher let the janitor off the hook for now. Little did the teacher know that when the teacher was grading work and went to the bathroom. All the papers and their computers were upside down. “ oh my gosh this janitor needs to stop doing this!”. The teacher stormed down to the office and demanded the janitor. But then the janitor's manager came out and the janitor's manager said “ the janitor has been sick and is gonna be out for another week”. The teacher stormed back to their room and out of nowhere a car ran into their class-room. The driver of the car said “oh my gosh im so so sorry. I couldn't control it my wheels just jerked left”

Where's your story??

All of these stories are real, and happened on highlands property. Now do you think you're safe? Now since halloween is around the corner no one is safe. Have a good, spiritual halloween!

Spooky Story Contest 2021 - 2nd Place! "Camp Skelly"

Camp Skelly
By Calina Ryan

“Alright guys, about twenty minutes away” Dad announces, echoing across the grumbling minivan filled with camping supplies and two nights worth of necessities.

“CAMP SKELLY! CAMP SKELLY!” five children holler in unison, jumping up but each time pulled back down by the compression of their seat belts. I know better.

Mom’s mouth widens to a smile, but it barely reaches her eyes. A cold smile. Like the boys’ eagerness is humorous to her, but in a smug way. A smirk that would send shivers down our spine as she glares in the rear view mirror. Except me. I meet her eyes and she sneers, backing down. Of course no one notices. The young ones are too busy shaking the van left and right in excitement, while dad’s trying his best to steer the car will these 5 monkeys. Monkeys, quite figuratively and literally. It’s Halloween and the sons are matching monkeys, all wanting to dress as curious george. I’m not anything.

Our family tradition is that every Halloween, we go to camp skelly, staying two nights. The annual scary stories are always on Halloween night, of course being told by our frightening mother.

We get to the camp, and the boys sprint to the lake, but I don’t go with them.

Once the sun sets and all the boys are done swimming, we gather around the fire. No surprise mom is ready. Eight chairs around the campfire, all filled with our big family.

“Before I get into this year’s story, I just wanted to tell you a little rumor I’ve heard these past years,” Mom inches out in a grim voice. “The reason it’s called camp skelly is because people have been murdered here.. and the murderers can always see the ghost of the person they killed.” Immediately, mom glances at me, tilting her head like a psychopath.

“Why are you looking at me?” I ask with my voice quivering. No answer.

“A few years ago….at this camp,” Mom starts eerily. She very surprisingly and weirdly moved straight past the ‘rumor’ she just told us as if it was nothing. I think it’s something, especially since she turned to me after saying that. “Before you five were born, there was this girl.” she adds on.

“You five?” I question aloud, puzzled by the ignorance of this woman. “I’m here too. There are six kids and I’m the oldest. I’m the only girl and you literally looked at me, proving I’m here.” I sass out at her. No response. Nobody even blinked an eye after I spoke.

“She came to camp with us every year. She hated it. The big lake was too cold for her liking. The camp food was too savory to please her. She despised everything about Halloween from dress up to the stories. The scary stories shook her to the bone. I can recall seeing the girl’s lips quivering, hands shaking, while sweating bullets. And so she ran. Ran across the camp as far away as she could run. Until…”

“What?” I think to myself. This sounds like me, when I got hurt a few years ago at this camp. But why is she acting as if I’m gone? I only got hurt, but I didn’t die.

“She tripped and fell into a ditch. She was hospitalized and fell into a coma, never waking up. But she’s still with us. She thinks she's still alive and comes with us every year to this camp. She’s your dead sister, Ally,” Mom announces almost cheerfully, staring straight into my eyes.

“I’M NOT DEAD!” I squeal, hoping they confirm I’m still here. No reply. Mom’s smile widens across the lower half of her face. She says I’m dead but her amusement rises after seeing my anxiousness.

“You see the empty chair” Mom giggles heartlessly. “She’s in the chair, waving her arms up and down trying to get your attention. Isn’t her effort so entertaining?” She gawks out. The kids and dad all look like they’ve been taser gunned, still more than ever before. No scary story has ever brought them to this level. Their faces look pale, hands stiff right next to their bodies, mouths wide open.

“I’M NOT DEAD! ANSWER ME!” I holler out, begging for someone to notice me. Again, no response except for mom’s constant gaze in my eyes.

I shoot up out of my seat, slamming the table and chairs all around. “I’M NOTTT DEAD!” I shout again. They all flinch at being thrown out of their seats.

“AHHH! A GHOST!” the kids screech, running away, dad trailing them.

“Not just any ghost,” Mom interrupts. “Your dead sister.” She stands up slowly after saying that comment, her eyes glued to me, reading my expressions.

While they’re all in shock, I’m helplessly destroying everything in the camp, chasing them all down. I’m not paying attention to anything, distracted by my anger. The boys and dad are all running down the path, towards the ditch. Mom stays behind me, taking her sweet time. I can hear her little laughters and her talking to herself, satisfied by my rage.

After about five minutes of full on sprinting, I recognize the path. A rush of adrenaline hits when I see 6 bodies fall. The ditch. They fell in the ditch. And of course I fall in too.

Mom towers over us, smiling like it’s Christmas or something.

“Oh looks like you fell in with her,” Mom jokes.

“How can you see Ally?!” Dad demands, his voice shaking.

“Oh that?” she teases. “Remember the Camp Skelly rumor I told you..”she pauses, trying to soak in this distressed moment. “Well, I made the ditch that Ally fell in. So of course I can see her.”

Dad’s jaw drops wide open.

“And you know what’s funny?” she questions.

“What?” Dad hisses.

“I’ll kill you guys too,” Mom scoffs, as a tree branch falls on us. “Wow, what a great scary story this will make, especially with seven ghosts.”

Spooky Story Contest 2021 - 1st Place! "Eyes"

Eyes

By Mia Ha-Rozewski

Nobody knows the color of his eyes. 

Not me, not my mom, not my brother. Not even my Grandma or Grandpa know. 

Who’s eyes, you’re asking? 

That’s a silly question. I don’t know. I really, really don’t know. None of us even know what his face looks like. We don’t want to know. 

So yeah. Nobody knows. 

All we know is his name, Korehina, and the feeling that comes over us whenever he’s near. 

My mom says she can feel him when she’s working. When she’s home alone and click-click-clacking on her computer. He never shows up when you’re with people, she tells my brother and I, only when home alone. For her, she says she can hear his heart and her own. And as she writes an email, her throat goes completely dry and it won’t get better even if she drinks a gallon of 7-Up. She knows he’s coming closer when she starts to cough. Then she closes her eyes shut and whisper-sings a lullaby in her cracky, high-pitched voice. She says he goes away after that. But never for very long. 

My grandma doesn’t believe in him. She says the entire time she’s lived here, she’s never seen him. Never felt him. But I think she’s lying. I think she’s lying to herself so she doesn’t have to think about Dad. 

My brother believes. He’s quite honestly terrified of Korehina. He always covers his ears whenever someone says his name. And he hates being home alone. So do I. He says he’s never felt him before, since he makes it a point to be with people. But sometimes, when I wake up in the morning in our shared bedroom, he has a pale, fear-stricken face, and I wonder if maybe Korehina came. 

My grandpa’s always been soft. I think he was the one Korehina came for first. But even though he’s soft, he’s smart. I think that’s why he’s stayed safe for so long. Still, sometimes when I come home with my brother a little later than normal, we find Grandpa sitting at the dinner table, eyes squeezed shut and veiny hands clutching the edge. 

I should probably explain why we fear Korehina. And why my Dad isn’t...here anymore. 

There’s a reason none of us know what color his eyes are. Or the shape of his face. Or the color of his skin (although Grandpa always says it’s a pasty yellow, whatever that means.) 

Okay, okay, back on topic. I don’t...really know why, but Korehina can only hurt us if we look at him. Specifically his eyes. 

Supposedly, he’s been after our family for generations, and that’s why Grandpa knows the most. Since Grandpa has been dealing with him for the longest. Or maybe Korehina just likes the house. I don’t think we’ve ever moved, ever even thought about moving, which is strange enough since that seems like the easiest way to escape. 

Maybe he would follow us anyway. 

And...my Dad...he took after Gramps. Always so soft. Always so nice. Just, not as smart. Mom says she heard his scream the day he died. She never told my brother and I the actual story, but I could hear her muttering it to Grandma and Grandpa. She was almost home...and when she heard an ear-piercing screech coming from our apartment, she started running. And when she opened the door, there was nothing. Just...a sort of complete and utter silence. Not the kind of silence you hear at school during free-time, when you can hear the air ‘brring’ and the sound of pencils scratching.

It was just pure silence. 

And a feeling of...satisfaction, I think she said. There was a feeling of satisfaction floating through the room. 

But when Mom walked into their shared bedroom, there he was; kneeling on the floor, frozen. His eyes and mouth were wide open, and his skin was ice cold. Then she ran. She screamed and ran and ran and ran. 

Then when she came back...he was gone. No more body. The last time Mom ever saw Dad was when he was on his knees, face suspended in a permanent mask of terror. At least the last time I saw him he was smiling. 

…

I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. Maybe I just needed someone to talk to. 

Sighing, I close my eyes again in memory. Then I hear the sound of a door closing and the lock clicking and I can feel him. For me, I start to sweat. My hands get clammy and my heart starts to pound and my fingers start to twitch. And as I feel everything around me get hot as my body temperature drops, my eyes fly open. I need to get out of here and find Mom-

Ah. 

I see. 

His eyes are green. 

Highlands Spooky Story Contest 2020

COVID 19 could stop our trick or treating, but not our scares boo-hahahahaha! Highlands students showcased their scariest stories at the start of the Halloween season - over 100 in total! We think the turnout was so high because the event that kicked it all off was Chicken Skin Tales 6 the day before and those real ghost stories about Highlands Intermediate really got everyone thinking about how haunted our school real is! The main highlight of this event was just the sheer amount of student participation, we got more than 100 entries for this inaugural event! Thanks to Mr. White for running this activity and making everything run so smoothly. Manoa, SG President

1st Place! Team 4 (Alaka'i) - Arissa Tokita "The Ghost of Bloodwood Elementary School"
2nd Place! Team 4 (Alaka'i) - Samantha Nakamatsu "The Mirror"
3rd Place! Team 4 (Alaka'i) - Mia Ha-Rozewski "Momento Mori"

Highlands Intermediate Spooky Story Contest 2020 - 1st Place! "The Ghost of Bloodwood Elementary School"

"The Ghost of Bloodwood Elementary School"

a short story by Arissa Tokita

In my neighborhood, there’s this school called “Bloodwood”. Though I used to go to that school, and there’s a reason why it’s called that. But I never want to talk about that place ever again. I hope you understand.

I was about 11 at the time and when I went to the school, we’d sometimes do this thing where we snuck into the school at night and explore without the fear of being caught. Although the school was fairly big, two stories in fact, my friends and I were never that interested in it. We were always hanging out in the center of the school by this single oak tree to just relax. I’d never known that place was the last place I would want to be.

During a cold September night, my friends and I did our usual routine, sneaking into the courtyard. The dim light of the moon as our only light source. However, we noticed that there was something already sitting at the base of the tree, slumped over.

We figured that someone else had got in the school just like us, but the more we inched towards it, the more we started to realize that it wasn’t an ordinary student.

The silhouette started to turn into a man, possibly in his 40’s or 50’s. His hair looked black, starting to turn grey from his aging. He wore a light brown coat with a black tie in the center. But the scariest thing was that he was covered in blood.

Even though we made our presence known, he stayed completely still, silent, as if he was waiting for us to come a little closer...

After we were only a couple of feet from him, he looked up, smiling, though, it wasn’t the kind that made you feel warm and welcome. It was a large grin, evil, pure horror. His eyes were completely white and his face was covered in even more blood than the rest of his body.

All I remember is running, as a shrill shriek of fear escaped my mouth, as the man stood up and started to come towards me. One of the neighboring houses had called the police by then when they heard a scream coming from the school. Thankfully, we all escaped the entity.

A few days after the incident, I finally told my parents what I saw. My mother told me to describe the figure, then held up a picture of what looked like the man we had seen that night.

The photo was old with some wrinkles around the edges and a fair bit of fading color as well. He had hazel colored eyes and tan skin. He was wearing the same clothes as the figure by the oak tree.

“This is a picture of when I went to that school.” she spoke.

“He was the former principal before the last one took over. His name was Samuel Hotaru. Only years later was his 7 year old son the victim of murder.” “He planted that tree in the school in memory of his son, who loved oak trees. Later, he was blamed for the incident and sentenced to death that same day.”

I stared at her in shock and disbelief at her. I didn’t know how to react.

15 years later, no one still believes me when I say what happened that night, and only my friends that were there with me the same night. The others still write me off as crazy, but I know what I saw, and I refuse to go back to that place because I feel like he’s still there, waiting

watching...

Highlands Intermediate Spooky Story Contest 2020 - 2nd Place! "The Mirror"

"The Mirror"

a short story by Samantha Nakamatsu

“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the one that will take the fall?” ......Silence...... After waiting a while, Jacky decided to leave her bathroom to get ready for a huge school party that she will be going to.

Jacky arrived at the party and was greeted by her friends. Jacky was looking for someone in particular, Sabrina. She has been competing for fame with her ever since she walked into high school. Now Jacky has a plan to finally win over her classmates. Jacky had invited Sabrina over to her house along with some of her friends to hang out for a while. After school, they all walked to Jacky’s house. They did what they normally do, go on social media and take pictures. Jacky pulled Sabrina to the bathroom, closed and locked the door.

SMASH! Jacky had broken the mirror. One of the flying pieces scratched Sabrina's face. Horrified, she ran out of the bathroom immediately leaving Jacky in the bathroom all by herself. As she was standing as still as a statue in front of the broken mirror, all she could think of was the saying “if you break a mirror, you will have bad luck.” She felt something walk past her but when she turned around, she saw an empty bathroom. While slowly turning back to the mirror and looking down at her bloody trembling hands, she thought “I will fix it tomorrow” and left the bathroom.

It was a Saturday morning and Jacky's mind was overflowing with thoughts about what would happen if she puts the mirror back together. After calming herself and her thoughts down, she went to her bathroom to start putting the pieces together. She was slowly adding piece after piece, until she noticed something on her mirror. It looked like an arm? Jacky just brushed off the strange and mysterious thing in her mirror.

It was Sunday and Jacky was having an uneasy feeling in her stomach as the night before she heard creaking and mumbling from her bathroom. She slowly approached the mirror that she didn’t even notice that the arm was still there from yesterday. She was going really quickly as she glued every single piece of the mirror back onto the frame. She finally finished but Jacky was still nervous as she slowly entered her bathroom after putting everything away.

She slowly moved her head up as the room got colder and to her darker. Suddenly something appeared in her mirror! It was dirty, it had hair in its face and its entire body was as skinny as a noodle. Its big black eyes looked directly at Jacky as she wanted and tried to scream and run but something was holding her back. The thing slowly moved closer as Jacky was staying as still as a statue. The thing held out a hand that was coming out of the mirror and that hand was pulling Jacky closer to the mirror. It slowly whispered “YOU took the fall” and slowly went back into the mirror and sent this eerie blue dust towards Jacky. The dust hit Jacky in the face and her sight slowly got blurred as she fell on the floor blacked out.

Jacky woke to the bright sun hitting her face. She shot up as she rushed to the bathroom to see if the thing was still in her mirror. For some reason, the mirror looked as good as new. “Was it all a dream?” Jacky questioned herself as she was getting ready for school.

She got to school and got distracted as she was busy talking to her friends. She was walking to her class but had to go to the bathroom, so she told her friends she will meet them in class. As she entered, she saw Sabrina. She noticed that the same scratch that she got from her mirror was on her face! She then looked at the mirror in front of her and saw the same “thing” that was in her mirror the day before. Her friends got worried that she still wasn’t in class so they went to go check on her in the bathroom, the only thing they saw was a piece of the mirror and written on it was “I thank her for setting me free.”

Highlands Intermediate Spooky Story Contest 2020 - 3rd Place! "Memento Mori"

"Memento Mori"

a short story by Mia Ha-Rozewski

July 23 Rubatosis.

The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.

I bet I just made you a little more aware of it just now. Here- focus just a little more. Do you feel it? It’s pumping blood to your body. It’s beating, and pumping, and beating, and pumping. Over and over again. Again and again.

Put your hand over your heart. I’ll do it too. Take a deep breath. 1, 2, 3. Can you feel it? Underneath your palm. Underneath your skin. There’s your heart. Beating, pumping, beating, pumping. Over and over again. Again and again.

But it’s too noisy here. Much too noisy. I can’t feel my heartbeat. I can’t feel it beating and pumping.

I should go home. 

July 25 Sonder.

The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Today, the polished square is empty. I pause to watch a drop of water fall from the top of the well, casting rainbows to the ground as it falls. My heart falls as I look around. No people. If only it wasn’t morning. The square always gets busy around noon.

It’s noon.

The sun has risen and I haven’t moved, the familiar leather of my book resting softly in my hands. It’s peaceful, but I miss the sounds of chatting and footsteps. I wish there were people.

And now there are. The square fills with life and I close my book to watch. There’s a man in front of me. He’s holding a little boy’s hand.

I wonder what’s happening in his head. While I’m thinking about him, what is he thinking about? What is the kid thinking about?

Maybe he’s planning a murder.

And now they’re gone, blending in the crowd of heads and people with thoughts just as complicated as my own. I wonder how many people there are. I wonder how many people are wondering how many people there are.

I wonder if you’re thinking about how many people there are. You probably are.


July 26 Kenopsia.

The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.

It’s morning and the square is empty again. I sit in the same spot, with the same book, but it doesn’t feel the same. Something pangs where my heart should be, and I put my hand over it.

I’m alive. All is well.

At noon, there are still no people in the square, but the shadow of a figure falls on the ground. Then it disappears and a soft metallic smell fills the air.


July 29 Enounment

The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.

No people again. Only the shadow of something that should be there, but isn’t. Then it flits away again and I’m left alone, not even a shadow by my side.

I suppose I should have expected this. Maybe if I knew this happened I could have left with them- at least I assume they left. My finger brushes the pages of my book and I look down at the words.

Suddenly, they darken and turn misshapen. The print turns red and the smell of iron hits me in the face. It’s strong.

Blinking, I look back down at the paper and-
It’s back to normal. The smell of iron has disappeared.
I feel my head droop and I keep reading. Time flies by and I wait for something.

Something that I don’t even know.
Nothing happens. Night is the only thing that comes. It consumes the square and I sit

patiently in the silent darkness, waiting. And then I wait for the lights to flicker on. But they don’t. I wait a little longer. Still, nothing happens.


July 30 Monachopsis.

The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.

I sit there all night. Nothing happens. Morning breaks through the horizon, but it’s not bright. My eyes search the gray sky for the sun, and I only find a small circle, dripping splotches of yellow.

And when I look down, the square is still empty. No...empty is the wrong word. The square feels abandoned. Something about it makes me feel unwelcome. It makes me want to leave.

But I don’t.

Instead I look at the ground that isn’t as bright as it was yesterday. The little well in the center of the square that’s cracked and rusting. All the shops are broken down and missing.

My heart beats and pumps, I feel every movement. Then it starts beating faster.

A sign falls from where it was tacked onto the board. That sign was made by someone. Someone with a life just as complicated as mine.

A chilly wind blows through the town square. But I’m the only one who can feel it. The echo of children’s laughter floats through the air. But I’m the only one who can hear it. The square is empty and quiet when it shouldn’t be.

My mind wanders. I look back down at my book. The last word is only a page away. I see my name in the print. And I suddenly feel the need to tell my past self what happened to the town square.

I rub the thin paper. My name keeps appearing in the book. This is a normal occurrence. As the words start turning dark and misshapen, my eyes flit faster and faster between lines. It describes the abandoned square, the feeling of loneliness overcoming the one person left to see what it had become. The shock that begins to set in when they realize how fast things had changed, the hints they never noticed.

I turn the last page and feel my heart pump harder. Sweat drips down my face. My eyes scan the page until I reach the last bloody words and hot breath hits my neck-

“Memento mori.”

Virtual Spirit Week 2020 COLTS Kahoot!

On the very last day of our Virtual Spirit Week 2020, students dressed in purple and white to show off their COLTS spirit! Purple and white filled every virtual classroom from both grade levels!!! For the day's activity, students from the 7 teams competed in a COLTS Kahoot! sponsored by the Spirit Committee. COLTS knowledge was on full display as the contestants were tested fast and furious about Highlands history. The Spirit Committee planned this positive fun filled game to keep everyone happy during these difficult times and it was a big hit!!! Congratulations to all of the winners of our Virtual Spirit Week 2020 COLTS Kahoot! Click on the image below to see all the action for yourself... Taryn, SG VP

1st Place - Team B (Hui Mana'o) - Jorden
2nd Place: Team 2 (Hui Lokahi) - Chloe & Eva
3rd Place: Team 4 (Alaka'i) - Helena and Kalei from Alaka’i in third place.

Spirit Week 2019: Teen Beach Movie Day

Cowabunga! Today, we went away from the traditional “Aloha Friday” to a Teen Beach Movie Day! Many students went all out with their costumes, either dressing up as a “biker” or a “surfer” from Disneys’s Teen Beach Movie. Students got to further show their love of the movie by joining in on a wonderful Finish The Lyric luch challenge where we played all the amazing songs from Teen Beach Movie and the participants raced to complete the line. Overall, it was a magnificent way to finish off Spirit Week 2019!  Sophia, Spirit Committee

Spirit Week 2019: Wacky Day

“The Most Magical School on Earth” got a little crazy during Wacky Day this year! Highlands students and staff put on their most crazy and colourful outfits for the day! Dressing up in mismatched, backward clothes and even putting crazy colours in their hair! Highlands students already looked like memes so why not finish the meme?!? From Peppa Pig to chickens to Kermit the Frog, the whole audience was shouting out all their favorite memes! The whole day was absolutely crazy, but hey, at Highlands we like a little crazy!  Sharyn, Assembly Committee

Spirit Week 2018 "Sports Day"

Cheers, jeers, and laughing echoed across the Cafeteria as a very tense competition was in full swing on the stage! The 2018 Spirit Week had officially kicked off and the first activity was the Sports Trivia Challenge! This year, all 7 teams line up on the stage, each team was represented with one teacher and one student. Each team has a white board and a dry erase pen to write their answers. As Mr. White called out the trivia question, every team rushed to scribble their answers as quickly onto the whiteboard as possible! With Ho’oko and Ku I Ka Pono in the lead, Mr. Ogata complained about his arthritis and everyone was rolling in laughter ;) Some of the questions were very difficult, but surprisingly most of the questions were answered by at least one of the teams. In the end, the whole activity was an overall success and we were able to pull it off without any complications. Judging from the reviews, the Sports Day Sports Trivia Challenge was an exciting experience for not just the participants, but for the crowd and us student council members! That’s how to get the “spirit” into Spirit Week!  Arisa, Athletics Co-Chairperson

Yearbook Cover Contest 2017 Winner

Congratulations to the Yearbook Cover Contest 2017 winner — Samantha! Her amazing Harry Potter inspired artwork will be featured on over 600 yearbooks this year... She just earned 100 spirit points for Team Na Koa, $50 in Jamba Juice gift cards, and her artwork to be featured on over 500 HIS Yearbook 2017!   Congratulations once again to Samantha of Team Na Koa!!!

Halloween Art Contest 2016

During the week of October 25th to October 31st there were many fun activities at Highlands. All of the teams earned a lot of spirit points for the activities. Out of all of the activities the Art Contest was the best. Every student who turned in their work of art earned their team 2 points guaranteed, but the winners earned much, much more. There were 3 categories during this contest, the Most Creative, Spookiest, and Highlands Haunted House 5. There were 3 winners for each category, and the first place winner won 100 spirit points! This annual contest was a brilliant chance for students to show everyone their artistic talent and skill…  Tyler, Athletics Committee

SPOOKIEST

1st Place — 100 sp — Samantha (Na Koa)

2nd Place — 75 sp — Rachel (Laule'a)

3rd Place — 50 sp — Kleo (Hui Mana'o)

3rd Place — 50 sp — Natalie (Fantastic 4)

MOST CREATIVE

1st Place — 100 sp — Rauly (Hui Mana'o)

2nd Place — 75 sp — Alyssa (Hui Mana'o)
3rd Place — 50 sp — 

3rd Place — 50 sp —

HIGHLANDS HAUNTED HOUSE 5

1st Place — 100 sp —

2nd Place — 75 sp — Haley (Hui Ha'aheo)

3rd Place — 50 sp — Remy (Hui Mana'o)

3rd Place — 50 sp —