Leilani Barnes came to HPA last year as a boarding student from O‘ahu. She serves as a Carter Hall prefect and the executive dorm representative to Student Council. These roles make her part of the student-faculty team responsible for HPA’s residential life programming and activities. We asked her to reflect on her multi-faceted HPA experience and especially what makes boarding at HPA worthwhile.
Let’s start with academics. Do you have a favorite subject?
It is nearly impossible to decide my favorite. Currently, there is energy dancing in my bones about agro-ecology with Mr. Emmons, history through mixed media with Mr. Mumau, and Spanish with Ms. Martin.
HPA has definitely enhanced my interest in sustainability, which led me to take multiple sciences in that direction, gardening, and an independent study dealing with CSA (community supported agriculture). The outdoors has always been a part of my life, and HPA will allow me to move forward and bring about change in this area I have a passion for.
What do you love about Carter Hall this year?
I cherish the powerful sense of diversity we share. You have girls from Spain, China, and Hawai‘i singing beautiful music, watching their favorite TV shows, or blasting their reggae. Carter recently had an open dorm event where the theme was “Girl Power,” and each floor was decorated with inspirational female figures. A slide show presented images and quotes from all those inspiring Carter girls.
Name one object in your dorm room that best describes you and why.
I would say my upside-down bed frame and mattress on the floor. I consider myself someone outside of the box in a place where the flowers grow and the sun shines.
What does the executive dorm representative do, exactly?
I help address issues in the dorms alongside other dorm representatives and consider how to deal with or fix what does not benefit the community. The representatives and I meet weekly and work to make living at HPA an experience at its best. For example, this year we organized a discussion for all Upper School students to get a better perspective on the circle-sit activity used in HPA Olympics. We have focused on keeping the student union clean and available to students, and we organized a dress code committee to communicate with faculty about the new code.
What will you take away from your boarding experience?
Having the opportunity to work with, plan, and revise parts of HPA makes me feel all the more connected to the school. Each and every student brings their own background, culture, and personality like seeds to HPA so that this community may grow as a diverse garden full of life. It’s important to welcome the experience of this garden and to look for ways to add seeds of one’s own.
Editor’s note: This profile first appeared in the spring 2019 issue of Ma Ke Kula.