| PBA’s 2025 School Camp Brings the School Community Closer Together
Dear readers of the What's New,
I have been a part of PBA school camp for 22 of 23 PBA school years. I was part of the school’s first camp at Mokulēʻia. We held them there for a few years. Following that, we tried Camp Timberline a few years in a row, and somewhere along the way we tried Camp Erdman. These were great experiences but we realized we could probably have better food at camp if we prepared the food ourselves. And thus began a long run of school camps at the Mālaekahana State Recreation Area. We would reserve for ourselves all ten campsites in camp area B, which very nearly meant we had half of the state campground to ourselves. It was great, the food was really good! I have fond memories of that neck of the woods.
| The one year I did not attend the school camp, it was because no one attended camp that year, 21-22, the year of COVID’s reign. I think it was the year following this we first went to Ko'olauloa, a connection we made through our previous athletic director Kena Heffernan, who grew up near the property and has extensive connections and family networks in the ahupua‘a of Windward Oahu. PBA’s school camp has been on this property ever since, nestled against the windward flank of the Ko‘olaus, a short Buddha Bus | | shuttle ride from Kokololio Beach Park and the Lāʻie Foodland, our early fall home away from home. And so it was for us last week, PBA’s school camp in the first month of the school year, led by the Class of 2026. I have got to say, of the 22 school camps I’ve attended, this ranks among the smoothest ever! The food was great! I put myself through college and grad school working kitchens in Eugene, Oregon, so I’ve ordinarily spent a lot of camp time helping with meal prep. Whereas last year the main senior attending the camp kitchen was Sean Fitch (’25), this year’s camp I worked with two stalwarts, head chef Maddie Wright and sous chef Aulani Tudela. They saw every meal through from start to finish. | | 
| The games were fun! This year’s camp theme was PIRATES! Cheesy pirate, galley, and swashbuckling references were in full force, and the senior leadership group, a large cohort of 24 PBA seniors, led students in competition, cooking, volunteer work, singalongs, card games, stargazing, bonfires, and smores cooking in three days and two nights of bonding, limited sleep, and great weather. The best part about camp, for me, has always been the aftermath. Now that we’re back to our regular turf in the PBA Weinberg Building, | I see new friendships and closer amity across the grade levels – with the new students at the school, between advisers and advisees, and the ways in which the students and teachers recognize in one another our shared enterprise in learning together and supporting one another. Permit me to express my gratitude to the camp adviser Mrs. Liane Viloria and the PBA’s senior class the Class of 2026. This year’s camp was one to remember.
Warmly,
Josh Hernandez Morse
Head of School
| Leigh-Ann Miyasato and Hoyt Zia Inspire PBA Seniors | Today, PBA seniors held the first Lighting Our Way honoree interview. Honorees Leigh-Ann Miyasato and Hoyt Zia spent the afternoon with six seniors, sharing stories and experiences. These interviews are a meaningful part of the Lighting Our Way tradition, allowing students to connect personally with the honorees and see how their careers reflect compassion, empathy, and leadership. Leigh-Ann and Hoyt first met as young attorneys, laying the foundation for distinguished careers in law and leadership. In their conversation with students, they reflected on early experiences working on cases that became landmark moments for Asian American civil rights, including the Fred Korematsu and Vincent Chin cases. | |
For PBA students, the honoree interviews provide a chance to connect with leaders who have significantly benefited the Hawai‘i community. Reading about the achievements of community leaders is meaningful, but meeting them in person offers something deeper. What begins with students studying resumes and profiles soon becomes a
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| | discovery of how humble and down-to-earth these leaders are despite their extraordinary accomplishments.
The honorees also share insights with soon-to-be graduates as the students look ahead to their future paths, offering encouragement to take risks and embrace the opportunities that life presents.
“Just like that, a typical Thursday becomes a senior day they will always remember,” said Taiko sensei Zachary Agcaoili ’14, who still recalls his own interview in 2013 with Rev. Chikai Yosemori, the 14th Bishop of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, at the Buddhist Study Center. “The continuation of the Lighting Our Way tradition provides seniors with a special opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate leadership.” Leigh-Ann Miyasato and Hoyt Zia are two of six honorees who will be recognized at PBA’s Lighting Our Way banquet on Friday, November 14, at The Kahala Hotel & Resort. Tickets are available online at pacificbuddhistacademy.org. | | 
| | OFFICE HOURS
7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
OFFICE CLOSED
September 12 (Teacher In-Service day) | | |
