By Barry Villamil, MyPearlCity.com – President, Rotary Club of Pearlridge
Rotary Club of Pearlridge (RCOP) members were truly honored on Friday, December 20, 2024, to have Highlands Intermediate School Principal Lance Tanouye join the RCOP as a special guest speaker at the club’s weekly lunch meeting held at the Pearl City Shopping Center Conference Room.
RCOP club members in attendance welcomed Principal Tanouye on Friday while sharing a special lunch treat from the newly opened Grand Chinese Restaurant at the Pearl City Shopping Center. We all enjoyed lunch together as we learned about Principal Tanouye’s story, “My Journey, and “my why”, while growing up in Pearl City, attending, teaching, serving as Vice-Principal, and now Principal of Highlands Intermediate School beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
Principal Tanouye has come full circle all while being guided and mentored under beloved Highlands Intermediate School Principal Amy Martinson who retired during the 2023-2024 school year. Principal Tanouye is the beneficiary of the outstanding educational and award winning success that Principal Martinson’s decades of excellence cultivated, perpetuated, and inspired while leading Highlands Intermediate administration, staff, faculty, school supporters, and most importantly the thousands of students who graduated with great experiences in educational and extra-curricular activities, friendships, and lifelong memories while she was principal.
PONI PU’UWAI – PIRPLE HEART RECOGNITION CERTIFICATE AWARD
Principal Tanouye was also honored on Friday, December 20 with a Poni Pu’uwai – Purple Heart Recognition Award for leading Highlands Intermediate School and its dedication and commitment to Military dependent students well-being, and educational and extra-curricular activities through the many opportunities to learn, grow, and excel as seventh and eighth graders at the school. Their experiences while at Highlands Intermediate School will be shared with others well beyond their years as a student while living and being educated in Pearl City.
We were all extremely inspired by Principal Tanouye vision from day one as he assumed his role as Principal and leader of the school and shared his goals for improving upon the school’s educational programs, transitioning into improving school facilities, as well as outreach that is intended to connect the school with community and corporate partners.
On April 17. 2024, he will lead the school in presenting the HIGHLANDS SHOWCASE on the school campus that will invite Pearl City District Complex 5th, 6th, and 7thgrade students, their ohana, and corporate sponsors to attend a daylong conference that will focus on Pre-Academies and connect the students, teachers, and business partners. The HIGHLANDS SHOWCASE is also an opportunity to get involved in demos, activities, and exploration.
The Rotary Club of Pearlridge is proud to support Highlands Intermediate School programs such as the RCOP Highlands Intermediate School Rotary Interact Youth Leadership Program that provides annual monetary support and leadership mentorships. We are also proud to support school fundraisers as volunteers, and financial support for school outreach programs and activities such as the upcoming HIGHLANDS SHOWCASE.
Mahalo to Principal Tanouye for an incredible time spent together with RCOP members while learning about your many accomplishments as an educator and now as you lead Highlands Intermediate School into the future.
Please check out the videos and photos below to learn more about Highlands Intermediate School and their vision for today and the future.
Happy Holidays!
Service Above Self
Videos and Photos by Barry Villamil
