As the year comes to a close, 7^th and 8^th grade teachers once again recognized eleven of the students who make them love teaching.  Each Kudos Kid was honored with a mega-cookie baked by Mrs. Bailey.   

In grade 8:

• Drew Oyama is the definition of a Raider-- considerate, positive, polite, humble, and humorous.  Drew is a team player who shines in class and on the track. He’s easy to get along with.   Drew is always ready to lend a hand to whoever needs help.
  
  Kira Wong is an understated leader in her class. Always ready to take charge of a problem and help the rest of any group she works with figure out what they need to do: Kira Wong is very professional, dedicated, and --the best part -- industrious.  She just cut her hair for locks of love — What a good kid! 
• Matt Lum is not just a class leader and extremely responsible but also supportive of others. He’s always asking if he can be of help.  Besides being very helpful, Matt is humble.  He cheerfully volunteered to work multiple shifts at the fair. Matt is soft-spoken and very polite. Always positive and amiable, he is a joy to have in class.   Matt is a great example of a quiet leader.  We are lucky to have Matt as a member of our Iolani community.
• Nicole Gulledge faces every academic challenge undaunted! She is supportive of her fellow classmates and she always brings into the classroom a readiness to learn and interesting questions for discussion.  She is not afraid to take a stand, and yet she listens well to the ideas of others, too.  She is never negative and doesn't speak harshly of anyone. Nicole is quick to say something nice.    Nicole Gulledge, always warm and energetic, brings a positive attitude and empathy to class every day. She’s a joy!
• Haryson Lum is a delightfully friendly young man with a great sense of humor, a good head on his shoulders, a warm, down-to-earth personality, good energy and spirit!  He is polite, respectful, and an active participant in class discussions. Haryson is such a personable young man, cheerful and smiling, always greeting and acknowledging others.... even teachers!   He’s always the first to say hello when entering the room and the first to say good-bye when leaving.   Sometimes he just stops in to say hi. What a wonderful personality! 
• John Zobian is one of the nicest students at ‘Iolani.  He is always polite, courteous and willing to help, which makes him a great peer editor and group member. He takes initiative to assist and never gets upset about anything. He is definitely a One Team guy. He’s even been known to hold the door open for others –what a gentleman! He’s amicable, good-natured, fun-loving but always within the realm of what is tasteful and appropriate.  Go Zobian! 
  
  Grade 7:
• Sydney Tamashiro is warm, welcoming, and kind. She is a mature young lady, yet she has not lost the spontaneity and enthusiasm unique to seventh graders. Her sense of fair play and appropriateness make her a valuable member of her class. In addition, Syd is a person of good heart who is responsible, caring, and trustworthy.  Without a moment’s hesitation, she will do the right thing -- even save two helpless baby birds which would otherwise have been the victims of foul play.
   
  John Tanaka is pleasant, cheerful, and enthusiastic.  J.T. enjoys learning and playing baseball, both of which he does with noteworthy effort.   Even in homeroom, he is always willing to help and eagerly volunteers to write the word of the day on the board. Whether he is learning new techniques on the French horn or working on his Eagle Scout merit badge, JT shows initiative, fortitude and honesty.    He is an outstanding young man... a nice kid through and through.
• Lauren Chinen is wonderful! She works well with others and always puts forth her best effort, -- with a smile on her face.  It cheers us up to greet this bubbly girl in class. She is thoughtful toward others, generous with her snacks, and willing to do more than what is expected of her. Lauren takes group work seriously. She will do her best to make sure everyone participates and will offer help if a fellow group mate is having difficulty. Lauren is thoughtful and reliable. We would all love to have a class full of Laurens! 
  
  Connor Mulloy.   Sometimes we forget how scary it is to enter a new school wondering if you’ve got what it takes to make the grade.  Well, Connor, you’ve proved yourself to all of us!  Connor is one of the hardest workers in all his classes. He’s an extremely conscientious student who has adjusted quickly to being a new student here this year.   The best thing about Connor is his sense of independence. Although he does an excellent job when working within a group, Connor maintains his individuality; he's a fish that doesn't just swim with the school because it's cool.
• Jordyn Sierra is an awesome girl who sets a wonderful example for her peers. She’s never in a foul mood. She seems to be an eternal optimist.  She’s courteous, energetic, and funny –with a wacky ability to make everyone laugh!  Jordyn is always willing to do her share during group activities.   Jordyn stood out during Homecoming in her willingness to take on any task.   And nobody can mess with Jordyn when it comes to dancing! She will bust out her running man and roger rabbit moves on anyone. In the first ever "dance off" at the recent 7th grade dance, Jordyn showed that she has the best combination of talent, creativity and a touch of silliness to keep things fun. As a new student to Iolani, Jordyn has already made so many new friends by just displaying a wonderful, outgoing personality.