Freshmen Deepen Connections At Camp

Fresh from their return from camp, the Class of 2029 gathered around a small puakenikeni sapling by the Nu’uanu Stream, some with o’o sticks in hand and others ready to sing a special blessing. While the planting of this young tree on the high school campus marked the conclusion of freshman camp, it also served as a reminder of the connections these students have made through HBA.

At camp, Todd Yokotake, freshman advisor, announced to the freshmen that were going to plant a tree as a class when they returned to school. “We want to put something on our campus to connect to your class and for you to have a visual reminder of your connection to each other, this place, and the way that you can bless others. In addition, you’ll always be able to come back and have a connection point for your class with this tree,” he explained.

The freshman class planted a puakenikeni tree on the high school campus, by the Nuʻuanu Stream. The tree represents their connection with each other and the school. Photograph by Hannah Garces (’27)

The message of freshman camp was also one of connection—connection with God and with each other. Charles Poore, Christian Ministries coordinator, challenged the students with the following question during chapels: “Who do you say Jesus is?” Poore said, “For the students who already knew Jesus as their Savior, the message of camp was to learn how to share the Gospel. For everyone else, it was to choose their response to the Gospel.” Poore taught about the Gospel using the metaphor of “The Roman Road,” based on the book of Romans. In particular, Poore reminded students that no one is without sin and that everyone needs rescue by God.

After camp, Amy Siu reflected on what she had learned, saying, “I always thought that some people are ‘good and holy’ Christians compared to others. However, [camp chapels] changed my whole perspective. I see now that not even one person is completely ‘holy’ or ‘good.’ We are all sinners and Jesus is the only one who is good. This is something I will never forget.”

“I always thought that some people are ‘good and holy’ Christians compared to others. However, [camp chapels] changed my whole perspective. I see now that not even one person is completely ‘holy’ or ‘good.’ We are all sinners and Jesus is the only one who is good. This is something I will never forget.”
Amy Siu, recalling the message of the romans road

The freshmen not only bonded over chapel worship and family group times, they also created memories through a friendly competition called “Color Wars,” which was a series of games organized by the class council. There students were divided into 10 teams, each with a designated color, and they competed in tug-of-war, cup collecting, and a water balloon fight, earning points for showing the most enthusiasm and teamwork. Class President Liam Lucero explained, “The purpose of Color Wars was to help our class become one group that has no separation, whether that be different gender groups or personalities.” Alicia Yoon, a class officer, added, “This was a way for our grade to learn more about teamwork and each other.” Despite some unexpected difficulties the council encountered in organizing the games, Lucero was glad they didn’t give up on putting it together. He said, “Seeing our work for Color Wars become a reality was really rewarding for us, and seeing our peers bonding with each other made it all worthwhile.”

The freshmen competed in a “Color War” at camp, a series of games organized by the freshman council. Photograph by Hannah Garces (’27).

Besides hearing from Poore, the freshmen also listened to junior Alaina Young’s testimony about friendship during their final chapel at camp. Young one of the upperclassmen student counselors serving at camp. Recalling Young’s testimony, freshman Kayla Wainwright said, “I remember that her testimony was on her friends drifting away and not being able to reconnect. That felt close to the way I was feeling at the time. The way she turned to God and found the right people really stood out to me and I used that advice on my own life and I’m a lot happier now with my friends and the people I surround myself with.”

When the students returned from camp to the high school campus, they made their way to the staircase that leads to the Nu’uanu Stream. As the tree planting ceremony began, freshman choir students sang the Hawaiian Doxology while class council members loosened up the soil with their oʻo sticks. There, in the dirt, the Class of 2029 left their mark—a young puakenikeni tree that will mature over the generations of freshmen to come, a reminder of their roots at HBA.