School Proves to Make Life Easier on Parents and Children
The newest private school in Kapolei had their Grand Opening on December 7, 2007. The founders and the administration of the American Renaissance Academy (ARA) were honored to receive distinguished awards from Senator Mike Gabbard and Representative Sharon Har. “Welcome to the neighborhood” were Senator Mike Gabbard’s first words in his address to the audience. Gabbard himself lives only a few hundred yards from the Academy.
They opened the celebration with one of Hawaii’s most talented performers, from the Broadway musical Miss Saigon, Miss Kristian Lei.
The director stated that part of the vision at the American Renaissance Academy is to graduate well-rounded young men and women who are not only educated in classical academics and fine arts, but also responsible global citizens.
The administration at ARA learned about an exemplary global citizen that has experienced the many wonderful things that fame had to offer, yet realized the importance of healing the planet and healing ones spirit in the process. This was the beginning of a partnership with a leading expert on natural farming, Mr. Jason Scott Lee. Lee’s vision for the children of Hawaii seemed to be a natural component to what ARA wants to teach its students in becoming responsible citizens at home, in the community, and the world. ARA was grateful to Mr. Lee for sharing his expertise with the administration, faculty, staff, and children of the American Renaissance Academy. It is certainly an honor to have world renowned film star Mr. Jason Scott Lee as a partner in educating the students at ARA.
The American Renaissance Academy opened its door to students, grades K-9, at its temporary Kalaeloa campus on September 4, 2007. In the short time since its opening, the formal private school has proven to make life easier for parents and children. The goal at the American Renaissance Academy is to accommodate busy parents, as well as offer students a program that will prepare them for a possible Ivy League education.
The founders identified many of the problems that families on the Leeward Coast face on a daily basis and created a program that would help hard working families provide their children with an exceptional education and a variety of options without having to travel a long distance. Because of this, ARA’s academic program is unique in many ways.
ARA has a very small student to teacher ratio. This allows the faculty to continuously assess student’s strengths and weaknesses and provide them with as much individual attention as they need. If a child’s ability level is found to be above average, then ARA provides those children with a more challenging curriculum. This has proven to be a valuable component in the program.
ARA’s unconventional school hours from 8:30 to 4:30 have also proven to be very popular. The longer school day allows students and teachers time to process information and do homework in class with their respective teachers. This provides our students the additional support that they may need. It also allows the faculty time to observe their students apply a new concept, and most importantly, allows the child to spend quality time with their family at home without the stress that conventional homework has always imposed on a family.
We are proud to be able to offer our students the latest in technology with interactive SmartBoards and individual laptops as tools for learning.
We also see the value in providing our students with classes that are slowly being taken away from schools such as, art, music, foreign language, and P.E.
ARA plans to move into a permanent facility in Kapolei in late 2008 or early 2009. When the permanent facility opens, students in kindergarten through 12th grade will be able to utilize an additional athletic complex that will be comparable to the 125,000 square-foot Houstonian
Hotel’s club, which is equipped with an Olympic-size swimming pool, basketball, racquetball and volleyball courts, a fitness center, and an indoor track.
The founders also plan to build a performing arts building and offer a full music, dance, and theater program. “It is my vision to have a youth symphony on the Leeward Coast composed of
American Renaissance Academy students as well as children from the community,” explained
Kelly Tanizaki, President of ARA.
William Daquiog, owner of the Performing Artist Academy in Kapolei and ARA music director, often has problems finding space for his students’ recitals and performances. He said that if the school builds a performing arts facility, it would present more opportunities for businesses like his. “This is exciting because it’s something new and fresh as far as education goes,” Daquiog said. “I expressed my concerns to (the investors) about not having enough space for my school to hold concerts, recitals and performances, and I really think the Tanizaki family took it to heart.”
The ARA administration is committed to helping families. With all these options being offered, enrollment is expected to increase significantly next school year. However, ARA is committed to keeping the teacher to student ratio very small at 1:10.
Mr. Kenneth Tanizaki, founder and investor of ARA, felt the need for a more formal college preparatory school on the Leeward side of Oahu. Mr. Tanizaki’s three grandchildren are students at ARA. This is the second time that Mr. Tanizaki’s generosity enabled a private school to open in the Kapolei area.
For more information, visit ARA on the web at www.americanrenaissanceacademy.com.
