WAIKOLOA VILLAGE — Last Thursday, as part of a new literacy project, representatives from Friends of the Library — Waikoloa Region (FLWR) gave each Waikoloa School exiting eighth grader a bound journal and bamboo pen.
Students were encouraged to write about their ideas and dreams in the journals. Vivian Green of FLWR exhorted students to finish high school, and to consider attending community college or the University of Hawaii.
Earlier this year, FLWR gave 200 books to students in the Waikoloa School English Language Learning classes. They have also provided ebook readers for both Waikoloa School and Kealakehe High School libraries, and supplied materials for an English language course for pre-school. In addition, FLWR donated Chromebooks (small laptops) to the Kealakehe High School Library.
The Friends have been working with Rep. Cindy Evans for eight years to bring a Hawaii State Public Library System Building to the Waikoloa area with its more than 6,000 residents.