08-30-2009, 05:07 PM
Hi, everyone... My name is Shelby and this is my first post, but a topic of interest so I thought I would comment. Hopefully I am a future Puna resident. I am also a former high school teacher in a medium sized Southern East Coast city. The school I taught at was subject to fights probably on a weekly basis. Many were caused by racial differences, but many were just kids being jerks. I find the information interesting on fights in Big Island schools, particularly since many folks have an idealist idea about what Hawaii is and how the people are. It is important to remember that no matter where you are on Earth, people can be nice and they can be mean... No matter what your difference is, people will find it and possibly use it against you. The Maine example given here by a previous poster indicates that color does not need to be the difference, but it is certainly an easy one to identify.
What programs are available for Puna/Big Island kids to keep them positive about school? Motivated? Or does a lack of motivation lead to drugs? Maybe this is another forum topic? I know some of my students from all tracks of life tended to get mixed up in drugs as soon as they lost hope for a legitimate way out of their current situation (for example, they failed so much at school that they knew they would not succeed that way).
Just some rambling thoughts while I can't sleep...
What programs are available for Puna/Big Island kids to keep them positive about school? Motivated? Or does a lack of motivation lead to drugs? Maybe this is another forum topic? I know some of my students from all tracks of life tended to get mixed up in drugs as soon as they lost hope for a legitimate way out of their current situation (for example, they failed so much at school that they knew they would not succeed that way).
Just some rambling thoughts while I can't sleep...