As part of the Hawaii Council of Private Schools (HCPS), Superintendent Deloris Trujillo, representing the Hawaii Conference, was one of the hosts for the 2nd Annual “Private School Day at the Capitol” on Jan. 27.

The day provided an opportunity to meet lawmakers and to share information with them about what private schools contribute to education in Hawaii, as well as to discuss the impact of the current legislative agenda for the State of Hawaii on the HCPS.

About 40 private school principals and faculty, three of whom represented the Adventist school system, meet individually with their own senators and representatives during the morning. At an extended lunch time meeting, the whole group met with a number of legislators, including several committee chairs, and was able to bring up issues and concerns about education and children. As one of the headmasters of a local private school noted, “It was participatory democracy at its best, on both sides of the aisle, on behalf of all the children in the state.”

At 2 p.m., the group was invited to the governor’s office, where Lt. Governor Duke Aiona declared Jan. 27 “Private School Day” in Hawaii. The document specifically mentioned Adventist schools.