Our seventh and eighth-grade students explored our beautiful Alewa Heights campus, getting a firsthand look at a typical day as an Assets High School student during Move Up Day on January 17. The event is an abbreviated High School schedule that allows students to bond with new and old friends familiar with the sprawling campus. All the classes previewed an immersive experience in Computer Science, Engineering, Geometry, English, Social Studies, Hawaiian Studies, and Physical Education courses.
"Engineering was fun, and Geometry was super hard," said Jayden '29, "I like the variety of classes and the spaciousness of the campus. I can't wait to use the High School basketball court!"
“I think it is a great idea to give some perspective to what the students will experience in high school and to expose them to various options,” said Shannon Jaquez, Jayden's mother. “The high school also has a beautiful view of the city with the water in the background. We recently moved to Hawaii from NYC and quickly learned that Assets is the only school on the island that specializes in children who are gifted & talented, have an array of learning differences, or are twice-exceptional. Since joining Assets, we have noticed that our son has grown exponentially. He no longer resists reading. Instead, Jayden has become a confident and self-directed learner. At Assets, Jayden is learning how HE best learns. We are grateful to Assets for the transformation we have seen in our son this past year!"
"I liked the Mentorship Program the best," said Amelia '29. I went to the Visual Arts class and the Growing Green Mentorship because I like creative things."
The Growing Green Mentorship teaches eco-friendly and sustainable techniques for cultivating various plants, including native species and everyday vegetables. Students learn about plant care, hydroponics, pest control, nutrients, and plant propagation and gain insights into the business aspects of horticulture. On Move Up day, students propagated two native plants called ʻilima and ʻilieʻe through cuttings. They prepared the plants by clearing leaves, making six-inch cuts with nodes, using rooting hormones, and placing them in dibble tubes for spacing and optimal root growth.
"What I liked best about Move Up Day was that I got to see my friends and the classes," said Micah '28, "I took Engineering and Hawaiian Studies. My favorite Mentorship Program is Photography. It was a great day!"
"It was fun!" said Reece '29, "I want to take the Journalism class. The teachers and students are nice. I like that the school allows us to see what the High School looks like."
Assets is the only school in Hawaii that specializes in educating students who are dyslexic, gifted, and have other language-based learning differences. Students engaged in a unique Literature Character Tea Party in one English class to encourage interest in reading. Students greet each other with quotes from story characters, sparking insightful conversations and building anticipation for the book they will be reading.
Participants engaged in two mentorships of their choosing. Every Wednesday, mentorship takes center stage for all our High School students, providing a unique avenue for personal and academic growth. For the school year, ninth-grade students have the exciting opportunity to select one campus-based mentorship from a diverse array of options such as Robotics, Rocketry, Journalism, Blacksmithing, Makerspace, Visual Arts, East Asian Art, Craft, Photography, and Growing Green. Meanwhile, 10th to 12th-grade students enjoy an even broader spectrum, with the flexibility to choose a campus-based mentorship or explore possibilities among more than 400 mentorship partners. The enthusiasm for mentorship was palpable on Move Up Day, where seventh and eighth graders eagerly engaged in two captivating campus-based mentorship experiences, setting the stage for an enriching educational journey ahead.