Kickstarting education

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  Wai'anae, Hawai'i
  October 31st, 2013
  
  The public school system is designed to educate all children. However, not all children are on the same educational level.
  
  In the United States, Hawaii Public Schools are ranked “forty­second in education”, according to The Learning Coalition, a non­profit organization that focuses on assisting Hawaii Public School systems.
  
  This means that some children are not being challenged or pushed to do more. Students who need the most help are failing to receive the help they need. On the opposite end an education system that tries to cater to all students will have some students fall through the cracks. Not just students who are under performing, but advanced students who need to be challenged.
  
  That’s where one meets a student like Ethan Hoppe. Ethan is what most teachers would call above average because of the many traits he holds, which other students have not acquired yet.
  
  Ethan Hoppe is a second grader attending Maili Elementary school, and is quite different from most eight year olds.
  
  “For spelling mostly B’s, but for reading A’s,” said Ethan.
  
  He enjoys reading books, and tries to grab a good book whenever he can.
  
  By far, his favorite book is the Star Wars series. He likes to see and read “Ordon Yoda, all of the series. It’s all because it’s Star Wars, what I really like, and it also has a lot of jokes and drawings,” said Ethan.
  
  Besides the Star Wars series, he enjoys reading Calvin and Hobbes strips. In one of the Calvin and Hobbes strips, that is where Ethan was introduced to a piece from Hamlet. Even Ethan’s dad knows that he is constantly gaining many skills from reading.
  
  “That came from like a Calvin and Hobbes strip, but then that got him interested in Shakespeare,” said David Hoppe.
  
  Ethan became so confident at reciting Hamlet, that he actually performed it.
  
  “He took it from there and just went to the, went to the next level a bit, like a fundraiser at the farm...he recited it in front of like 200 people,” said David.
  
  Not only does Ethan excel in his education, he also participates in numerous extracurricular activities. From music lessons to soccer, Ethan loves to spend his extra time finding things to occupy his time.
  
  “We still try to challenge him here and there, we’ll just ask him a question...that you know...what is six plus fifteen? or something like that just to try and keep him on his toes,” said David Hoppe.
  
  They may try to keep him on his toes at home, but how is he getting challenged at school?
  
  “Like on either end, the slower students and the faster students, it’s like they kinda got of shoot for the middle, so that’s just kind of like what I understand about public schools,” said David.
  
  So while the schools are busy aiming for the middle, where does that leave children like Ethan? Those children are left to become more reliant on their parents or legal guardians.
  
  As for Ethan’s family, they try to enrich him and challenge him to make sure he stays “mentally and physically challenged,” David said.
  
  This is why parents like David Hoppe are considering private schooling.
  
  “I think he’s going to need to be enriched more,” he said.
  
  This is what parents are resorting to because the public school system aren’t providing the children with enough education. Unfortunately, even though private schools may offer a better and more challenging curriculum, finances can be an issue in some families.
  
  “When we can afford it, we’re going to send him to private school,” David said.
  
  Ethan’s family are exploring the private school options, but as for right now, they will continue to provide Ethan with the push that he needs.

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Looking Back

Jonathan Evangelista, Reporter

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Kelcy Spencer, Photographer

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