Konawaena High School
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Konawaena High School is a public school located in Kealakekua, Hawai'i. Konawaena means "the center of the leeward side." This name is very literal. In the early years, when Konawaena had just been established, it was the only high school in Kona. Today there are two high schools in the Kona district. One is Kealakehe, the other being Konawaena.
It was in 1921 when a grammar school in Kona established it's first 9th grade class. They continued to establish 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classes as the years went on. The first graduating class was the Class of 1925. Elementary Schools were feeding all their graduating students to Konawaena High School.
Of all the alumni, one stands out the most. His name was Ellison Shoji Onizuka, the late astronaut who died in 1986 after an explosion in the Space Shuttle Challenger. He along with seven other crew members, all perished that day. Today, there are currently two space observation centers located on Mauna Kea and in Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawai'i named for him. The Ellison Onizuka Gym and Aqauatic Pool are both located at Konwaena High School.
Today Konawaena has successfully grown to encompass a middle school and elementary school as well. The total population is around 800 students. At one time it held the most students in the whole state, a total of 2,000 students. The current principal is Shawn S. Suzuki, former band teacher and vice-principal. Suzuki replaced the late Dr. James Dumaguin who died in 2005.
