Farewell to beloved La Pietra leader, Mahina Eleneki Hugo

Описание: A tsunami of love washed over La Pietra's head of school when she walked into a surprise farewell program on Tuesday, May 2.
Mahina Eleneki Hugo, who has led the school for a decade, will hand over her duties to Dr. Josh Watson in July, but this is her last month with the students.
Stunned and tearful as she realized she was not entering a routine weekly assembly, Mrs. Hugo was greeted by a Hawaiian chant as a couple of hundred well-wishers turned to face her. Husband Todd Hugo, a fire department captain in Waimanalo, met her first in the aisle with a long, tight hug.
Through moist eyes she watched a special hula performance by her students. There was a video presentation of messages from her husband (and supporter for the past 30 years), students, faculty and even maintenance crew.
As Mr. Hugo described how he met his wife at the peak of her athletic career, the gathering got a chance to see an action clip of Mrs. Hugo as an outside hitter with the 1987 NCAA champion Wahine volleyball team.
A group of students then bedecked her with colorful paper lei marked with messages of love.
Music director Shari Lynn directed the Select Choir in a touching performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Waters," which caused Mrs. Hugo to choke back more tears.
"I am so overwhelmed and so grateful," she said in closing remarks.
She had a message for her students.
"You learn, you grow, you are competent young women with great leadership skills. Whatever you choose to do in life you will do it. So you keep on that path."
Mrs. Hugo said the farewell program and video presentation, discreetly and quietly arranged by communications officer Keala O'Sullivan, was a total surprise. She had no inkling that this weekly assembly would become one of the most memorable and cherished occasions of her life.
"I was going to sail into the sunset quietly, but so much for that," she said.

Mrs. Hugo has spent a quarter of a century at the school, starting as a P.E. teacher and working her way up through the ranks.

Dr. Watson is currently assistant principal for Student Life at Mid-Pacific Institute.