Our awesome project is to take 100 King Intermediate students to watch a performance of The Nutcracker Ballet on December 15, 2023. Melissa Richardson and Angela LeSuer signed up to take 100 students to the performance that is offered by Ballet Hawaii’s Angel Program.

From their website it states, “Ballet Hawaii’s lavish Hawaiian-themed Nutcracker is presented in the 1858 Kingdom of Hawaii. Audiences can anticipate all the traditional holiday dances, but with historical characterizations of Washington Place resident Mary Dominis and Hawaii’s beloved Queen Lili’uokalani.”

This “holiday tradition with a Hawaiian twist” will have a powerful impact on our students. As they develop an appreciation for the arts, students will see their heritage and culture represented on the stage as King Intermediate has a high Native Hawaiian population. In addition, this will open the door of possibilities to students who may not have access to a live performance like the ballet because they come from a low income family as King Intermediate is a Title I school. Our cultural enrichment project is to provide our students with the full experience of a night out to the ballet with dinner prior to the performance at the lowest possible cost to our students.