Walking School Bus in Kealakehe Helps Reduce Chronic Absenteeism and Increase Student Safety February 12, 2025
As schools across Hawaiʻi work to tackle chronic absenteeism, Partners in Development Foundation’s Piha Me Ka Pono program has partnered with Kealakehe Elementary School and Kealakehe Intermediate to address attendance rates and student safety through an innovative solution.
“Kids often walk to school from their homes, but 8 out of 10 times, they don’t make it because they stop at a friend’s house, and their parents aren’t aware,” explains Shonna Ontiveros, Piha Me Ka Pono’s Lead Community School Coordinator at Kealakehe Intermediate. While the surrounding school area is within a 1-mile radius, there is no public or school transportation available, and safety concerns about motorists persist. “One volunteer, on her own time, goes out every morning by the elementary school to man the crosswalk.”
Inspired by a visit to a community school in New Mexico, Ontiveros brought the concept of a walking school bus program back to Kealakehe. Before launching, she collaborated with Hawaii County Safe Routes to School, Hawaii Police Department, and the Hawaii Department of Health to establish safety measures, and extended participation to Kealakehe Elementary School.
A walking school bus is like a traditional school bus – but on foot! Adult volunteers lead groups of students along safe, predetermined routes to school, making scheduled “stops” to pick up more children along the way. Like a regular bus route, the group follows established paths with marked crosswalks and good visibility to ensure everyone’s safety.
The program launched on December 16th at 7:00am. Volunteers knocked on doors of registered students, gathering children ready for school. Approximately fifty students, primarily from Kealakehe Elementary School, joined volunteers on a safe route to campus. Participants were greeted by a festive inflatable heart mascot and received “walking tokens” redeemable for snacks or small prizes at week’s end.
“The response was incredible. We had 14 volunteers show up to help with the first walk. The energy was contagious, and it was clear we were off to a great start!”
Shonnalee Ontiveros
Currently operating on Monday mornings —one of the days with highest student absenteeism—the walking school bus program shows promising results. After strong participation in December’s initial walks, organizers hope to expand the program this spring with additional parent and community volunteers.
Partners in Development Foundation continues to support these community-driven efforts through the Piha Me Ka Pono program, which partners with seven schools across Hawaii implementing the 7 Pillars of the Community School Model. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Walking School Bus, contact the Piha Me Ka Pono team via contact form here.
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