HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0711.033 2008-2010March 22, 2010
WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL BAND BOOSTERS
Hawaii County Council Chair J. Yoshimoto
Members of the Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Re: Public testimony IN SUPPORT of the Hawaii County Band
Dear Hawaii County Council Chair Yoshimoto and County Council Members:
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Aloha! My name is Kelvin Sewake and I am the president of the Waiakea High School
Band Boosters. I am testifying on behalf of the Waiakea High School Band Boosters and its
members that include 47 band students and their parents who are in firm support of the Hawaii
County Band.
Our organization feels strongly that the Hawaii County Band should be funded to the full
extent because its contributions to the people of Hawaii, and especially to our students for so
many years, have been invaluable. Many students have had the opportunity to play with and
listen to the county band that has inspired them to musical pursuits in life. The band has helped
to improve musicianship and professionalism within our youth and have helped our youth to
renew their interests and commitment to musical careers. The band has taught them discipline
that is so much needed in any great band. The leadership skills that they have taken away with
them have been carried into the classroom and have remained with them long after they left high
school and entered college and the real world. Students who have significantly improved
proficiency in their performance have gone on to college band, receiving beneficial band
scholarships that helped with their costs of higher education. With the ever increasing education
standards for reading, writing and math, and due to budget constraints, the performing arts
programs continue to get valued as less and less important. Yet, without band and music, many
of these students would not even want to come to school. They would not have a positive outlet
for self - expression especially necessary with the many stresses placed on them to succeed in
today's society, nor would they be able to practice leadership, teamwork, and share the aloha
spirit with one another. If you ever watched any good band performing in parades, at athletic
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Mahalo,
WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL BAND BOOSTERS
events, at winter and spring concerts, at band festivals, practicing hard at band camps, and
representing our local schools at off -island trips, you would begin to realize how important band
is to these youngsters and that the Hawaii County Band with its many middle and high school
band directors have been essential in strengthening band programs for our youth.
The Hawaii County Band has 127 years of proven success and has provided education,
joy, and celebration for our people and communities. It is an asset to Hawaii County and a
symbol of pride and aloha for all. Please do not let today's temporary budget crisis undermine
years of excellent work and cut short a potentially great future for our youth and our
communities. Please provide full funding for the Hawaii County Band so that they can continue
their long and proud history of serving this great community!
Kelvin Sewake
President
Waiakea High School Band Boosters
1287 -A Puhau Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Ph: 808 - 938 -5559
Email: Gr82bfriendz @aol.com
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