Dare Day returns after 4-year hiatus to celebrate Big Island students

The gymnasium at Kona Community Aquatic Center shook as fifth and sixth graders from across West Hawai‘i stomped their feet and cheered in celebration of Dare Day.

On Friday, multiple agencies gathered to celebrate the keiki for completing the 10-week Dare program, which teaches kids to make good choices, whether it’s saying no to drugs and alcohol, standing up against bullying or resisting peer pressure.

Students from Waikōloa Elementary and Middle Schools, Waimea Middle School, Konawaena Elementary and Middle School and Hawaiian immersion school ​Alo Kēhau o ka ʻĀina Mauna were bussed into Kona to spend the day enjoying activities from swimming to ring tossing, putting golf, basketball and shooting a fire hose at a cardboard house.

“Your energy and vivaciousness is infectious,” Hawai‘i County Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas told the kids in the gym. “You are the future, your choices matter.”

Villegas encouraged the keiki to lean in, speak up and stand up and “become the leaders of our future.”

Acting Hawai‘i Island police Capt. Roy Valera led the event, which has been on hiatus since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Part of the day was also to show the kids firsthand what the emergency responders in the community do by staging a two-car crash in the parking lot behind the gym where a suspect fled the scene and another refused to exit the vehicle. Hawai‘i Fire Department also responded and rescued a dummy from a second vehicle, extricating it using the Jaws of Life.

Hawai‘i Fire’s chopper 2 also responded to transport the injured dummy, which was in critical condition.

Valera said many of the interactions police tend to be noticed for are negative, whether it’s issuing a traffic ticket or arresting someone for a crime. The demonstration showcased the jobs that people don’t see every day, from the Special Response Team to canine officers.

School Resource Officer Bryan Young for Konawaena Middle School said the old Dare program was primarily focused on saying no to drugs and alcohol. Now, it’s more about helping kids critically think when making decisions.

The showcasing of agencies on Friday, Young said, also was meant to expose the students to career opportunities within law enforcement.

“Maybe we have planted a seed,” Valera said, adding maybe one of the kids in the crowd Friday becomes inspired to be a Dare officer or an SRT officer.

Along with Hawai‘i Fire and Hawai‘i Island police, the Department of Land and Natural Resources was at the event showing their boat.

The U.S. Army Reserves brought its Black Hawk helicopter and Pōhakuloa Fire Department brought its engine.

“It’s important to keep them [kids] engaged,” Young said, adding events like Dare Day help instill positive choices in them now and let them know police aren’t the bad guys.

Waimea Middle School teacher Leticia Ho‘opai said Dare Day is a good reminder for the kids to know there’s support and someone they can talk to no matter what they’re facing.

“It’s important for them to be familiar with the agencies and what they do for the community,” Ho‘opai said.

Before being excused for the day’s activities, the kids stood in front of Dare officers in the gym and took a pledge to make good choices.

Tihana, 12, enjoyed the ring toss game. Her favorite part of the police demonstration was watching the suspect run away from officers.

Dare has taught Tihana not to drink or smoke.

Kamalei, 12, enjoyed spending time with friends. Her favorite part of the police demonstration was watching firefighters use the Jaws of Life to get into the car to rescue the dummy.

Dare has helped Kamalei learn to resist peer pressure.

Eli, 10, said his favorite part of Dare Day was seeing chopper 2.

“It’s not that often you see a helicopter up close,” he said.

The Dare program taught Eli never to do drugs and help people in need.