The Sacred Hearts School hula halau perform a hula at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel to thank the staff and chefs for the food they donated to the school. (Photo courtesy of Sacred Hearts School)
Maui wildfires
EPIC ministry, one of the school’s first benefactors continues its mission of mercy
By Jennifer Rector
Hawaii Catholic Herald
As the Maui wildfires swept through Lahaina on Aug. 8 it took lives and homes, and left destruction. It’s been more than two months since the tragic event and folks in Maui are still working day and night to recover. At Sacred Hearts School, temporarily relocated nine miles north of its Lahaina address, the focus is on the children and their educational and emotional needs.
“We’ve established a routine which always is a healthy way of promoting a sense of security and reassurance,” said principal Tonata Lolesio.
Half of the school burned down in the flames, leaving the teachers and students with no building to return to any time soon. Lolesio, however, was not discouraged. She and her staff got the school back up and running on Aug. 28 at Sacred Hearts Mission in Kapalua.
Enrollment is at capacity at 220, and there is a waiting list.
Sacred Hearts School principal Tonata Lolesio (Photo courtesy of Sacred Hearts School)
“Parent volunteers and Knights of Columbus helped prepare the church property adjacent to the mission church to expand our makeshift school,” the principal said.
While parents are dealing with the heavy load of the aftermath of the disaster, the teachers have worked to create a safe place for the children.
“Teachers and students are forming healthy relationships and academic routines,” Lolesio said. “It is a sign of our resilience on the journey toward healing and recovery.”
While some families and teachers still face incredible hardship, Lolesio said the school is a help, even in the smallest ways.
“We understand that financial circumstances remain problematic as we continue to face uncertainties. We want to assure families we will continue to do all we can to support them and their students,” she said.
Teachers who were displaced have since found temporary housing for six months to up to a year. Despite losing their homes, they have been working nonstop to help the students.
For some parents, their financial struggle leaves little or no money for school tuition. It’s a cost that Lolesio said the school is trying its best to overcome.
“We are still in need of donations toward tuition assistance, especially for those students whose family experienced a total loss,” said Lolesio.
To contribute to student tuition assistance, visit www.shsmaui.org.
EPIC support
Support for the school has been coming in from all directions. Thanks to donors, students have all the materials necessary to continue their education.
“Students have all received their complete curriculum, free replacement and shipping from all our publishers. They also have iPads and Chromebook laptops,” said the principal.
Volunteers from EPIC Maui chapter prepare supplies for distribution in Cecilia Jacinto’s garage. (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Jacinto)
Some of the donations have come from church ministries including EPIC, a Catholic young adult organization based on Oahu.
Every Saturday, members of EPIC travel to Maui to offer assistance to the victims at the school and across the island. Cecilia Jacinto, a member of the EPIC Maui chapter, has offered her garage to hold supplies.
As a stay-at-home mom, she and her one-year-old daughter have been preparing the items before they are delivered to families in need.
“Supplies get dropped off at my house. Then we organize the supplies, package them, find drivers, and get them delivered,” said Jacinto.
EPIC’s operation has changed since its first shipment of goods. Jacinto said they have become more efficient in getting supplies to families as quickly as possible. From the start they created an online request form on their website where people can select the items they need, or submit prayer requests.
“We created a weekly schedule on when we would contact a requester, when to send volunteers out to collect items from different hubs and/or go shopping for items, when to put packages together, when to contact volunteer drivers, and when to deliver the care packages,” said Jacinto.
As time goes on, they have adapted to different needs and have been able to reach more families.
“Aside from financial assistance and long-term housing, needs have changed from the beginning of our mission,” said Jacinto. “It has developed from immediate needs of toiletries to longer term household items like vacuums, kitchen appliances, and school or work supplies.”
Some of the materials needed have remained the same from the beginning — canned goods, rice, baby food, baby formula, children’s snacks, diapers and children’s clothes.
“We continue to pray for all of the people in need and will continue to support as best as we can,” said Jacinto.
For more information on how to donate, visit www.epicministry.net
Meanwhile, Sacred Hearts School has been constantly adjusting its structure to better fit their students. As they progress, lower elementary grades K-2 will be moving to a new structure on one side of the Sacred Hearts Mission and transitioning to a five-day school week this month.
“Upper elementary grades 3-5, and middle school grades 6-8 will be transitioning into a hybrid format for the next few months. They will alternate between an in-person and distance learning schedule,” said Lolesio.
Rebuilding the school in Lahaina is in the works with the help of the Diocese of Honolulu. In the meantime, Lolesio and her teachers are working with everything they have to encourage the students to keep moving forward.
