When 7-year-old Rylie De Lima-Suganuma first attempted taiko drumming this week, there was a learning curve.
“It’s hard getting all the steps on your first try,” Rylie said Tuesday morning, shortly after pounding away on her tire-turned-taiko drum. “But when you really get into it, you get better at it, and it’s really fun. It actually feels like (school) recess. And although drums are super loud and hurt my ears, it is just so awesome.”
Rylie is one of 15 keiki enrolled in the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s spring break camp. The five-day camp is taking place this week while most public school students are on break.
The camp is offered through the College of Continuing Education and Community Service. It aims to help students continue learning during the weeklong break from classes. It also tries to expose kids to content beyond traditional classroom subjects, said CCECS program coordinator Marisa Miyashiro.
In addition to taiko drumming, Rylie and the other campers are learning science, hip-hop dancing, printmaking, bookmaking, engineering and drawing and painting. Activities are led by CCECS instructors and volunteers.
“We try to do things that are not strictly academic,” Miyashiro said. “While we do have science activities, we try to do a lot of active things and art (activities). … It kind of helps break up their learning process so they are not just sitting. And it gives them some structure so that going back to school is not so hard.”
Becoming proficient in taiko drumming takes “years and years and years,” said instructor Chad Nakagawa on Tuesday, but the camp simply strives “to show them that taiko is really fun.”
“A lot of these kids are really (active) learners so (taiko) allows them to move around,” Nakagawa said. “It’s a good way for them not only to be writing or drawing or painting, but also to do something a little more hands-on.”
CCECS offers dozens of noncredit classes, professional development workshops, senior programs and English language programs open to the community.
It has featured kids camps in the past, though this year is its first time offering a camp during spring break.
Miyashiro said UH-Hilo’s spring break is typically a different week than the public school spring break, which presented a challenge finding free space on campus. This year, Miyashiro said CCECS was able to secure open classroom space.
Rylie said she has enjoyed all the camp activities, but her favorites were bookmaking and engineering. She said she also encourages other kids to attend camp.
“It’s been really good,” Rylie said. “Instead of lying down and watching movies somewhere and sitting down, (camp) gets you more active and it gets your body moving.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
