A lot of planning and practice go into IPA’s annual May Day Celebration. With all grades, K – 12, plus the faculty and staff, senior boys and the May Day Court performing a dance, Momi Kuahiwinui and her daughter, Makana, both of whom are faculty members at IPA, have been planning and teaching choreography for months! “We start planning and choreographing over the summer, and then we begin teaching and practicing with the different groups in January,” explains Momi. This year’s theme is Na Hulu Kupuna (Cherishing Our Elders). “Given the theme, we have invited our IPA grandmothers to join us in performing a hula, also, so they have practiced with us too,” Momi added.
The pre-show performers have been putting in many hours also. Attendees will be treated to performances by the Elementary Ukulele Club, along with vocal performances by both students, faculty and staff. In addition to the performances, many hours of preparation are spent planning the logistics of such a large event. “This celebration could not be possible without the help of many parents and families who have organized equipment, created decorations and planned the layout on the field,” shared Ruth Babas, Elementary Music Teacher and May Day Coordinator. The May Day Committee is hoping families will bring plenty of fresh greenery such as heliconia, torch ginger, palm fronds and monstera leaves to decorate the stage. On Thursday, the day before the celebration, volunteers will spend the afternoon and evening decorating and putting the final touches on the stage and surrounding field. Security will spend the night on campus to make sure everything stays in place, and final preparations will begin first thing in the morning on Friday before the celebration begins at 8:00 a.m. See you there!
If you are interested and available to volunteer for May Day, please check out the volunteer opportunities and sign up where you can.
The kahili and other cultural decorations have been gathered for the up coming May Day celebration 
Seniors, Courtney Spencer-Tolentino, Marcey Deiner, Toni Oyama, Cara Pangelinan, Alex Murphy, Jessica Sato and Rachael Harbourne, practice the hula.
