Moanalua High School

Before the school was built, the land was an ahupua. An ahupua{{okina}}a in ancient Hawai{{okina}}i was a parcel of land that stretched from the mountain to the sea. The ahupua{{okina}}a of Moanalua was the property of wealthy landowner Samuel M. Damon.

Previous to Damon's ownership of the Salt Lake ahupua{{okina}}a, the volcanic hillside on which Moanalua High School sits was used by native Hawaiians in the Hawaiian religion. As one of the highest points overlooking what would later become the city of Honolulu, the volcanic hillside was revered as a place where the faithful could be closer to the ancestral spirits and gods. It also served as a sacred altar as late as the reign of King Kamehameha V.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} The volcanic hillside's religious value was neglected during the urban development after statehood in 1959.

Moanalua High School adopted the menehune as their mascot. In Hawaiian mythology, the Menehune are said to be a people, sometimes described as dwarfs in size, who live in the deep forests and hidden valleys of the Hawaiian Islands, far from the eyes of normal humans. The menehune are believed to have a special relationship with the gods and credited with building dams, temples and other structures throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

To attend the school, students must be within the attendance zone or apply for a geographic exception. In May 2012, the school admitted about 500-600 students from outside of the attendance zone.{{cite web |last=Hill |first=Tiffany |date=May 2012 |title=From Iolani School to Moanalua High School: A Parents' Tale |url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/May-2012/From-Iolani-School-to-Moanalua-High-School-A-Parents-Tale/ |access-date=2020-10-07 |work=Honolulu Magazine}} A lottery is used to determine which out of boundary students are admitted. In an article for the Honolulu Advertiser, staff writer James Gosner wrote that the admissions process was "nail bitting".{{cite web |last=Gonser |first=James |date=2004-06-03 |title=School's focus on quality pays off in student achievement |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Jun/03/ln/ln24a.html |access-date=2020-10-08 |newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser}}

The school's academics have been praised by different news outlets. In May 2012, Tiffany Hill of Honolulu Magazine wrote that the school had "high-caliber programs" and a strong curriculum. In addition, she also stated that some programs are "nationally recognized".{{cite web |last=Hill |first=Tiffany |date=May 2012 |title=A Tale of Two Schools in Hawaii |url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/May-2012/A-Tale-of-Two-Schools-in-Hawaii/ |access-date=2020-10-07 |work=Honolulu Magazine |page=[http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/May-2012/A-Tale-of-Two-Schools-in-Hawaii/index.php?cparticle=4&siarticle=3#artanc 4]}} In 2004, James Gonser of the Honolulu Advertiser wrote that the school had "A reputation for success". He also wrote that "[the school's] many success stories" originated from the "personal attention" and "choices" provided by the school's employees to the students.

Per the Hawaii Department of Education, the school utlilizes Common Core Standards.{{Cite web |title=Subject Matter Standards – Hawaiʻi State Department of Education |url=https://hawaiipublicschools.org/academics/subject-matter-standards/?highlight=common%20core |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=hawaiipublicschools.org}} As of 2024, the school is ranked #1,618 nationally and #3 in Hawaii High Schools, Honolulu, HI Metro High Schools, and Hawaii Department of Education High Schools on U.S. News & World Report.{{cite web |date=1970-01-01 |title=Moanalua High School in Honolulu, HI |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/hawaii/districts/hawaii-department-of-education/moanalua-high-school-6157 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=US News Best High Schools}} On GreatSchools.org, the school has a ranking of 8/10.

Per the Board of Education, the school requires four credits in English, four credits in social studies, three credits in mathematics, three credits in science, two credits in either world language, fine arts, or Career Technical Education, one credit in physical education, half a credit in health, and half a credit for the Personal Transition Plan (PTP), for a total of 24 credits.{{cite web |title=2024 Course Registration Catalog |url=https://www.moanaluahs.org/ourpages/auto/2022/3/15/40772712/2025-27%20Registration%20Course%20Catalog.pdf?rnd=1736024882726 |access-date=2025-03-16}}

For dual-credit, the school offers Advanced Placement and Running Start classes. Between 2024 and 2026, the school will offer a total of 17 AP classes. These include courses in English, mathematics, science, social studies, and regular electives. These are AP Literature, AP Language and Composition, AP Calculus AB or AC, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, AP Macro Economy, AP Micro Economy, AP Chinese, AP Computer Science, AP Japanese, AP Seminar, AP Spanish, AP Studio Art 2D or 3D, and AP Research. As of the 2021-2022 school year, the school has an AP participation rate of 42%, with 29% passing the exam. Running Start is offered at Leeward Community College, which is apart of the University of Hawaiʻi system.{{Cite web |title=Running Start |url=https://www.hawaii.edu/dualcredit/running-start/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Dual Credit |language=en}}

The Career and Academic Planning (CAP) program oversees career education classes, which are considered an advisory period. Beginning in 1997, each CAP class runs for 35 minutes, with each student taking at least one each week.{{cite web|last=Hill|first=Tiffany|url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/May-2012/A-Tale-of-Two-Schools-in-Hawaii/|title=A Tale of Two Schools in Hawaii|work=Honolulu Magazine|date=May 2012|page=[http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/May-2012/A-Tale-of-Two-Schools-in-Hawaii/index.php?cparticle=5&siarticle=4#artanc 5]|access-date=2020-10-07}}

Traditionally, the alma mater and anthem are sung during the presentation of the school's flag — a blue crest in the center of a field of blue and trimmed at the edges with white. The school's colors are royal blue and silver.

In May 2012 the school had about 2,010 pupils. The students tend to have a higher socioeconomic profile.

The following table represents the number of enrolled students from the years 2003 to 2014.{{cite web|title=School Status and Improvement Report|url=http://arch.k12.hi.us/school/ssir/ssir.html|website=Accountability and Resource Center Hawaii|publisher=Hawaii State Department of Education|access-date=2 September 2014}}

As of the 2023-2024 school year, the school has an enrollment of 1,933 students. Of this, 32% of the students were considered Asian, 25% were considered Filipino, 9% were considered Native Hawaiian, 8% were considered Pacific Islander, 7% were considered Black, and 2% were considered Hispanic. 24% of the population were considered economically disadvantaged, 7% were considered special education, and 4% were considered English learners.

Moanalua High School serves the children of enlisted personnel and commissioned officers of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy. Students who are not military dependents are usually children of professionals living in the Salt Lake and Moanalua subdivisions, neighborhoods that have been classified as upper middle class.

Each graduating class averages 400 students. Approximately sixty percent become enrolled at four-year colleges and universities throughout the nation while thirty percent become enrolled at two-year colleges. Eight percent go straight to the workforce while four percent join the armed forces. About five percent enroll in technical schools while three percent are usually unsure of their post-graduation plans.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} Moanalua High School has many valedictorians each year, in comparison to the other schools of the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} Many students graduate with the honor in a single class, with 20 in 1998.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} In 2004, about 80% of the students graduating from Moanalua went to universities and colleges.

In 2004, the school offered 50 sports. That year, about 800 students participated in them.

In the year of Moanalua High School's founding, its athletics department joined the Hawaii High School Athletics Association. The school competes in the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA), an athletic conference of public schools on the island of O{{okina}}ahu. As of the 2024-2025 school year, Moanalua competes in a variety of sports including air riflery, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, football, soft tennis, softball, volleyball, basketball, paddling, soccer, swimming, tennis, wrestling, baseball, flag football, golf, judo, track & field, and water polo.

{{cite web |title=Team Champions |url=https://www.moanaluahs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=432947&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=792099 |publisher=Moanalua High School |access-date=15 November 2021}}

• Basketball, Boys' - 1996, 1997
• Bowling, Boys' - 1985, 1990, 2004
• Golf, Girls' - 2006
• Golf, Boys' - 2012, 2016, 2018
• Competitive Cheerleading - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2016, 2018
• Track, Girls' - 1994
• Wrestling, Boys' - 2022
• Wrestling, Girls' - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2022
• Judo, Boys' - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2022
• Judo, Girls' - 2018, 2019, 2022
• Air Riflery, Boys' - 2016, 2017, 2019

The Moanalua High School music program is operated by the school's music department. The program offers a variety of ensembles, including a Marching Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Concert Orchestra, Concert Choir, Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, and Concert Band. In 2007, the Concert Strings ensemble was introduced, which expanded the department's offerings and provided students with the opportunity to explore string instruments. The school also offers programs in piano and ukulele. These groups, however, do not perform. The program is supported by the Moanalua High School Boosters Association.{{Cite book |date=2016 |title=http://ljournal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/d-2016-154.pdf |url=https://doi.org/10.18411/d-2016-154 |doi=10.18411/d-2016-154|isbn=978-5-91243-072-5 }}

In May 2012, in an article for the Honolulu Magazine, Tiffany Hill wrote that the orchestra was well reputed.

The Moanalua High School Menehune Marching Band is a marching band program with an established record as being one of the top and largest marching bands in Hawaii. The band is led by directors Elden Seta, Rhona Barbosa, Cavin Takesue and Todd Oshima.{{Cite web|url= http://www.mohsmusic.com/programs/marchingband.htm|title="Menehune" Marching Band & Color Guard|access-date=2021-10-08|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211008062930/http://www.mohsmusic.com/programs/marchingband.htm|url-status= dead|archive-date=2021-10-08}}

The x member program holds its own marching festival each year, which is known as the Menehune Classic. It also competes in other annual competitions such as the Kamehameha Tournament of Bands, Mililani Trojan Band Fest, the OIA Festival, and the Rainbow Invitational. It usually marches in at least one parade each year, such as the Aloha Week parade, and is frequently invited to march in out-of-state parades such as the Tournament of Roses Parade.

The marching band traveled to Osaka, Japan, to march in the Osaka Midosuji Parade. In 2009, the band traveled to Arizona to participate in the Fiesta Bowl Parade.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mohsmusic.com/main/repertoire.pdf|title=Repertoire|access-date=2021-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215223104/http://www.mohsmusic.com/main/repertoire.pdf|archive-date=2018-12-15}}

The Moanalua High School Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra consisting of hand picked students from grades 9 to 12. The symphony orchestra was the first student orchestra to be invited to perform at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://www.mohs.k12.hi.us/open-seta.html |publisher=Moanalua High School |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013162333/http://www.mohs.k12.hi.us/open-seta.html |archive-date=October 13, 2006|title=Elden Seta -- Milken Education Award Winner, 2003! }} The symphony orchestra were invited to perform again on March 20, 2005 at the Isaac Stern Auditorium, in which they received a standing ovation where audience members reportedly yelled, "Good job, Hawai{{okina}}i!"{{cite news|last1=Vorsino|first1=Mary|title=Moanalua hits high note on trip|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/03/21/news/story6.html|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=21 March 2005}} Moanalua High School Symphony Orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall a 3rd time in 2013. In 2018, Moanalua High School Symphony Orchestra attended American String Teachers Association National Orchestra Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. Moanalua High School Symphony Orchestra took first place in High School Full Orchestra Division and were overall Grand Champions in the High School Division.

{{Unreferenced section|date= October 2021}}

The Moanalua High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble consists of the most competent wind and percussion musicians in the Moanalua High School band program. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble has received consistent Superior ratings at the O{{okina}}ahu Band Directors' Association Parade of Bands. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble plays at winter and Aloha Concerts, the OBDA Parade of Bands, and the Central District South Parade of Bands. The Ensemble has also traveled to Japan in the spring of 2004 and winter of 2006 where they represented the United States in the All-Japan Band Festival in Hamamatsu, Japan. More recently, the wind ensemble represented Hawaii in the 2015 Music for All National Festival in Indiana.

In 2013, the school completed and dedicated the first phase of a new performing arts facility, which resulted in the construction of a new band room.{{cite web |title=New music building dedicated |url=http://moanaluahigh.blogspot.com/2013/09/new-music-building-dedicated.html |publisher=Moanalua High School}}{{cite web |title=Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center |url=http://www.wilsonokamoto.com/project/moanalua-high-school-performing-arts-center/ |publisher=Wilson Okamoto Corporation}} In 2018, phase two was completed, which added an auditorium with a music library, rehearsal and instruction spaces, storage rooms, and other facilities for the school's music and drama departments.{{Cite web |title=moanaluahs |url=https://www.constructorshawaii.com/moanaluahs |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Constructors Hawaii Inc. {{!}} Honolulu-Based General Contractors |language=en-US}}

In 2019, Moanalua High School began construction of the Performing Arts Center, which opened on March 12, 2021. The facility includes a 694-seat auditorium with advanced audio-visual systems and LED lighting. It also provides rehearsal and instructional spaces for music and drama programs, including a dance and choral room, storage areas, and a music library.{{cite web |title=Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center page |url=https://www.moanaluahs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?pREC_ID=947260&type=d&uREC_ID=494605}} The property was a part of American School & University's 2021 Architectural Portfolio.

The center was built to accommodate the increasing number of students in the school's music and performing arts programs. Prior to its construction, concerts were often sold out due to limited seating capacity. The center had been planned for over 20 years. The facility serves both Moanalua High School students and the wider community, providing a venue for various cultural and educational events.{{cite web |title=Hawaii Public Schools press release |url=https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ConnectWithUs/MediaRoom/PressReleases/Pages/Moanalua-High-School-opens-new-Performing-Arts-Center.aspx}} The property was built after the first and second phases of a performing arts facility were built.

The project was initiated in 2019, with groundbreaking ceremonies held in April of that year.{{cite web |title=Moanalua High School Music site |url=https://mohsmusic.com/?p=1755}}

The school has an Air Force JROTC; in 2004 it was the largest such program in Hawaii.

Listed alphabetically by last name (year of graduation):

• Angela Perez Baraquio (1994), Miss America 2001{{Cite web |date=2017-11-03 |title=NOH Place Like Home: Moanalua High School |url=https://www.khon2.com/cover2/throwback-thursday/noh-place-like-home-moanalua-high-school/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=KHON2 |language=en-US}}
• Felipe Ojastro, Spectrum OC16 play-by-play announcer
• Scott Pagano, former Clemson and current Oregon defensive lineman

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=http://starbulletin.com/2004/03/29/features/story2.html|title=Hawaii's Schools Moanalua High School|newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=2004-03-29}} - Includes several articles written by students

• {{official website|http://www.moanaluahs.org/}}
• [https://hawaiipublicschools.org/schools/moanalua-high/ District website]

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{{Honolulu}}

{{Education in Honolulu County, Hawaii}}

{{Oahu Interscholastic Association}}

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Category:Educational institutions established in 1972

Category:Public high schools in Honolulu

Category:1972 establishments in Hawaii