Two Oʻahu campuses, ʻEwa Makai Middle in ʻEwa Beach and Waialua High & Intermediate on the North Shore, have made state history as Hawaiʻi’s first middle-level Schools of Democracy. The pair earned a new Department of Education seal that honors civic learning and student voice, with on-campus celebrations highlighting coursework that puts students in the driver’s seat of civic projects and debates, as reported by PACE.
Campuses celebrated at ceremonies
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education and the Judiciary-backed Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education recognized the schools during campus ceremonies attended by area lawmakers, Board of Education members, DOE leaders, teachers and students, according to PACE. The initiative spotlights schools that build critical thinking, respectful discourse and hands-on civic participation instead of treating civics as a quick chapter in a textbook.
How students practice democracy
At ʻEwa Makai, students participate in mock trials, write personal narratives and take electives focused on leadership and civic responsibility, Principal Corey Barton told PACE. “Here at ʻEwa Makai we donʻt just learn about history — we learn how to make history,” Barton said.
Waialua’s seventh- and eighth-graders research legislation, draft testimony and take on project-based courses such as agriculture and “Fostering Civic Discourse,” where restorative practices like hoʻoponopono help shape campus culture, PACE reports. The goal is to weave democratic habits into daily school life, not just into a single class period.
Selection and ceremony details
The selection panel included public-school educators, PACE commissioners and representatives from local civic organizations, and the awards were presented after on-campus events that showcased student work, as reported by the Honolulu Star‑Advertiser. Officials stressed that the designation recognizes schools that build student agency and civic capacity long before graduation.
Program grows from high schools to middle grades
The Hawaiʻi Schools of Democracy program launched with high-school honorees and is now in its third year. Mililani and Maui High were named in the pilot year, followed by Kalani and Kailua, as the Department has noted. HIDOE said the pilot will expand to create a K-12 continuum, with the middle-school round intended to help scale civics instruction statewide.
“As a Hawaiʻi School of Democracy, your school is equipping you with tools to make a difference,” Judge Sonja McCullen told students, underscoring the initiative’s focus on practical civic skills, according to the Honolulu Star‑Advertiser. School leaders say they plan to keep building student-driven projects that connect classroom learning with community action.
