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| Waiākea High School | |
|---|---|
| Name | Waiākea High School |
| Streetaddress | 155 W Kāwili St |
| City | Hilo |
| State | Hawaii |
| Zipcode | 96720 |
| Country | United States |
| Established | 1976 |
| Type | Public |
| District | Hawaii State Department of Education |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | ~1,300 |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Colors | Maroon and Gold |
| Mascot | Warrior |
Waiākea High School
Waiākea High School is a public secondary institution located in Hilo, Hawaii, on the island of Hawaiʻi. The school serves grades 9–12 and is part of the Hawaii State Department of Education system; it draws students from surrounding neighborhoods near Hilo Bay, the Wailuku River, and ʻAlae. The campus functions as a community hub connected to regional institutions including the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Hilo Medical Center, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum.
Waiākea High School opened in 1976 amid broader statewide initiatives tied to the Hawaii State Department of Education, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and territorial developments following statehood. Early planning involved collaboration with the County of Hawaii and infrastructure projects such as improvements to the Hilo Bay waterfront and connections to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park corridor. The school’s establishment paralleled demographic shifts on the island influenced by businesses like the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and transportation nodes including Hilo International Airport and the Matson Navigation shipping routes. Over decades Waiākea adapted to events connected to natural hazards monitored by the United States Geological Survey, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and the National Weather Service; recovery and resilience efforts have intersected with organizations like the American Red Cross and FEMA. The campus has also hosted visits and programs linked to cultural institutions such as the Bishop Museum and ʻImiloa Astronomy Center.
The Waiākea campus sits in eastern Hilo with proximity to the Wailoa River State Recreation Area, ʻImiloa, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Facilities include classrooms, science laboratories, performing arts spaces, a gymnasium, an aquatic center, and athletic fields used for football, soccer, and baseball. Site planning has accounted for volcanic risk informed by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and coastal inundation considerations tied to the Pacific Tsunami Museum and NOAA. The campus integrates native landscaping with plants promoted by the National Tropical Botanical Garden and cooperates with local cultural practitioners from ʻIolani and Huliheʻe Palace community programs for hula and Hawaiian language revitalization. Partnerships have connected Waiākea with research and outreach programs at UH Hilo, the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, and the East-West Center.
Waiākea offers a comprehensive curriculum aligned with Hawaiʻi Department of Education standards and college preparatory pathways feeding into institutions such as the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, California State University campuses, and private colleges including Gonzaga University and Brigham Young University–Hawaiʻi. Advanced Placement courses prepare students for AP examinations administered by the College Board, while Career and Technical Education sequences intersect with programs offered by Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Community College, and trade organizations. The school supports STEM initiatives linked to ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, the National Science Foundation, the NASA Hawaii Space Grant Consortium, and NOAA for marine science projects. Language and cultural courses coordinate with Pūnana Leo Hawaiian immersion networks and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs language resources. College counseling connects students to scholarship programs such as the Gates Millennium Scholars and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Student life features extracurriculars spanning performing arts, robotics, National Honor Society, and clubs that partner with community organizations like the Hilo Hawaiian Civic Club, Sierra Club Hawaiʻi, and Rotary Club of Hilo. The performing arts program stages productions drawing on influences from Broadway and regional festivals such as the Merrie Monarch Festival and Hilo Orchid Show; music ensembles collaborate with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra musicians and UH Hilo music faculty. Competitive teams participate in FIRST Robotics Competitions, Science Olympiad, and Model United Nations events held at the University of Hawaiʻi campuses and Pacific Basin institutions. Student government engages with county and state civic processes including County of Hawaiʻi meetings and Hawaii State Legislature youth programs. Service projects align with nonprofit partners including the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Malama Puna.
Waiākea fields teams in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation competing against programs from Hilo High School, Keaʻau High School, and Pahoa High & Intermediate School. Sports include football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, cross country, track and field, wrestling, and swimming. The program has seen athletes advance to collegiate athletics at NCAA institutions such as the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, San José State University, and Division II and III schools; some alumni have pursued professional careers in leagues like the NFL, MLS, and international baseball circuits. Coaching staffs have included alumni and figures who later worked with regional athletic organizations including the Hawaii High School Athletic Association and national bodies such as USA Track & Field.
Notable alumni have gone on to prominence in politics, athletics, arts, and science, taking roles in entities like the Hawaii State Legislature, University of Hawaiʻi system, Major League Baseball organizations, National Football League franchises, the Pacific Islands Forum, and cultural institutions such as the Merrie Monarch Festival. Alumni have collaborated with or been associated with figures and organizations including Patsy Mink, Daniel K. Inouye, ʻIolani Palace conservators, and academic programs at Stanford University and the East-West Center.
Category:High schools in Hawaii County, Hawaii