Eleven students at Sacred Hearts School made the prestigious Principal’s List by earning a 4.0 grade point average.

LAHAINA – On Thursday morning, the students of Sacred Hearts School gathered in Mother Marianne Cope Hall for the weekly assembly, an occasion that begins with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by announcements, reciting and encouraging student learning expectations and presenting quarterly Honor Roll awards.

Principal Dr. Miguel Solis was eager to present the second quarter Honor Roll. “It is exciting to continue to build a strong educational foundation for our students and know our goal of curriculum and academic excellence will always take priority,” he said.

Students work hard to make the list, and many eighth-graders push for it to fulfill aspiring dreams of becoming valedictorian of their class at the end of the year. Making the Principal’s List is not only an incredible honor but an accomplishment that is most often a guarantee of scholarship assistance into the high school of their choice.

Eighth-grader Mia Merrill noted, “I was excited to make Principal’s List. It feels so good to know that all of my hard work is paying off and preparing me for my high school career.”

This month, Sacred Hearts School was visited by representatives of Saint Anthony School, Lahainaluna, Maui Preparatory Academy and Seabury Hall. After seeing highlights of each schools’ unique programs and gifts, our soon to be alumni are now in deep thought as to where they will be spending the next four years.

Academic excellence is encouraged from the start of the school year, as the kids are presented with an array of interesting and exciting projects. Patty Wurst, the sixth grade teacher whose specialty is history and social sciences, has been leading a research project themed “Triumph and Tragedy” for National History Day. Students had to choose an event that was at least 20 years old and its occurrence having had a major impact on the world. Some topics chosen were Women’s Voting Rights and Spanish Influenza (and how it led to the creation of the Centers for Disease Control). Students were given the option of presenting their project in various formats, including an exhibit, website, documentary, performance or an essay.

Wurst stated, “I have about ten students who chose to create a website, which is exciting.”

The eighth grade class spent the winter, one day a week for four weeks, attending the Learn to Sail Junior Yacht Club program. The program covered nautical charting, sailing skills, water safety, anatomy of a boat and racing!

The seventh grade science teacher chose to lead a Plastic Project. Students had to identify a plastic problem that was affecting the environment, come up with a solution and engage the community with results. In addition to a few beach cleanup days, one group of students led a straw swap, plastic for metal reusable straws, generously donated by Shark Pit Designs. Another group of students collected data on snack time waste and encouraged kids to steer away from Ziplocs and other wasteful storage methods.

The lower grades are staying busy as well, as Hawaiian Studies instructors Uncle Wilmont and Wendy Coon prepare a chosen group of students in the fourth and fifth grade to compete in an upcoming Makahiki games event against students from King Kamehameha III Elementary School. The Makahiki games honor a time of celebration and peace in ancient Hawaiian History.

Amanda Thompson, the school’s fifth grade teacher, has been working hard to prepare her students for the academic rigors of sixth, seventh and eighth grade, working on developing writing skills in her class. She was thrilled to have five of her students make the Principal’s List.

She commented, “In the fifth grade, we really focus on the writing process. The students turn in polished and typed essays for the very first time. It’s such a struggle in the beginning of the year, and it’s hard on the students, teachers and parents! But it’s amazing to see them achieve their goals. It’s great to watch them realize that all the time they’ve put in, all the words they’ve had to look up, and all of the formatting and typing they’ve had to learn has really started to pay off.”

With only four months remaining in the school year, the teaching staff still has lots in store for their students, from an eighth grade graduation and retreat and a fifth grade Learning Journey to Oahu. On the Oahu trip, the kids will get to spend the night in the Bishop Museum!

With the staff’s creative teaching tactics, the students of Sacred Hearts will continue to thrive academically.

Eleven students at Sacred Hearts School made the prestigious Principal’s List by earning a 4.0 grade point average. Those students were Katelyn Nguyen, Calli Ligienza, Asher Halik, Cameron Henry, Layla Merrill, Alexa Torres Perez, Kalia Hendrickson, Noelani Ligienza, Noah Mueller, Tara Zamani and Mia Merrill.

With enrollment season in full swing, Sacred Hearts School is excited to offer the opportunity for kids in the community to experience what it is like to be a Student for a Day.

This Shadow a Student event will be held on Feb. 5. All students entering first through eighth grades are welcome to RSVP. E-mail yrichard@shsmaui.org or call (808) 298-9679 to reserve your spot. You can also visit our website at www.shsmaui.org to learn more about our school.