Noah Koike Smith is only 7 years old, but already he knows more about China than many grown adults. ADVERTISING Noah Koike Smith is only 7 years old, but already he knows more about China than many grown adults. Noah
Noah Koike Smith is only 7 years old, but already he knows more about China than many grown adults.
Noah Koike Smith is only 7 years old, but already he knows more about China than many grown adults.
Noah can recite without hesitation that China has the second-greatest global economy — and the largest man-made structure in the world. Even he’s floored.
“I’m surprised (I know that),” he said. “I’m only a second-grader, going to turn into a third-grader.”
Noah is one of about 65 children taking part in Hilo Hongwanji Betsuin’s Summer Play and Learn Program.
While most kids spend their lazy summer days relaxing, hitting the beach and emptying their brains of an academic year’s worth of knowledge, Hilo Hongwanji operates by a different philosophy — the learning should continue, so long as it’s mixed with a little fun.
“We do a blend of the learning part and the fun part,” said Jon Kitagawa, a program instructor who teaches during the regular school year at Waiakea Intermediate School. “So we try not only to do the academic part … we also balance it with some science activities, some art activities, a whole bunch of different things for them to experience. Because our goal is to get them to experience the most (that they can) out of the program.“
For seven weeks, children in the decades-old educational summer camp take part in a mix of hands-on activities cleverly incorporated with various academic topics. Last week’s China studies coincided with “culture week,” a chance to learn about different countries around the world.
Noah and his classmates made Chinese noodles and dragon puppets, and later, when learning about Japan, made sushi and paper bonsai trees.
This week is “astronomy week” and kids are gearing up for a rocket launch, Kitagawa said. Later in the summer, they’ll delve into ocean studies and dinosaurs — to name a few. Along the way, there are weekly trips to the library for the older students, various guest speakers and daily journal writing.
“(The summer program) is a good way to keep your education up-and-running,” 10-year-old Kaylee Nagata said. “Instead of just staying home and doing nothing and having all the knowledge go away from your brain.”
Hilo Hongwanji also offers a preschool program that similarly aims to develop “the whole child” — “socially, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually,” according to the preschool’s website. Some of the summer participants are former preschool attendees, or yearly returners.
Nine-year-old Vy Tran, a first-year summer program participant, said she most enjoyed an “egg drop” activity that tasked students to engineer a contraption to protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped. She also enjoyed making the Chinese noodles and said weeks of daily journaling and library trips have helped her hone her reading skills.
“The summer program has been good for me because it’s very creative,” Vy said.
“Today, we walked to the library and they encouraged us to read more. It’s been good. I think next year I’ll come back.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
