KAILUA-KONA — At a school as diverse and vibrant as Kahakai Elementary, unity isn’t just a value — it’s a lifeline.
On Monday, Kahakai’s campus burst to life with a rainbow of colors as nearly 500 students — from preschool through fifth grade — laced up their shoes and donned white T-shirts for the 11th annual Rainbow Run.
Kahakai is designated as a Title I school, which means it serves students from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and economic situations. This makes every opportunity to come together as one, even more meaningful. Perhaps no event captures that spirit of togetherness quite like the annual Rainbow Run, where despite differences, students all run together toward the same goal.
“Three, two, one… GO!” shouted Janet Hunter, Kahakai’s physical education and health teacher. Affectionately known as “Coach Hunter,” and wearing a matching rainbow shirt, Hunter has been the driving force behind the event since its humble beginnings. Inspired by a Color Run segment she saw on the news years ago, she wanted to bring that spark of joy and movement to her fellow teachers and eventually, the entire school. Over a decade later, her inspiration and passion haven’t changed.
“My passion to keep this run going always comes from our students,” Hunter said. “I’m just really excited to be doing this again this year. This is about bringing everyone together. It’s called the Rainbow Run because we are all different people uniting as one to show support for each other no matter what color and no matter where you are from.”
Students kicked off their colorful adventure beneath a festive rainbow balloon arch, then burst onto the school’s wide, grassy field filled with energy and excitement. After weaving through S-turns and dodging sprays of colored water from school volunteers came the grand finale — a unified explosion of rainbow-colored cornstarch tossed into the sky.
Hunter expressed appreciation to community partners who helped make the event successful.
“We got the cones donated from the County of Hawaii, orange slices from Linda Taketa our Food Service Manager, and Willie’s Hot Chicken and Kona Cliffs also stepped-up big time to help out with raffle awards. I feel so grateful, and I can’t wait for next year’s event!”
More than just a fun run outside, the message was clear: at Kahakai, every color counts, and every student matters.
