16-04-2025
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard makes Hawaiʻi debut at ʻAiea High School
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Students at ʻAiea High School were given the opportunity to enjoy a performance from the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard during an assembly on April 15, which marked the Honor Guard's first performance in the islands.
The assembly was in honor of 'Purple Up! Day,' a celebration of military children where support for them is shown by wearing purple, symbolizing unity and appreciation for all military branches.
Several gravesites damaged at Oahu cemetery, again
According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, 10.5 percent of ʻAiea High School's population is made up of military children.
The students warmly welcomed the honor guard, with USAF Honor Guard SSgt. Matthew Sweeney saying that the team's visit was fantastic.'So some high schools, people are pretty quiet… but the school here was phenomenal,' Sweeney said. 'This is one of the best crowds I've ever performed for. So just having the cheers and then having them rush to the performance area after the performance to get some pictures and ask us questions–it's just great.'
The performance even inspired students at the school, with ʻAiea High School senior Salina Roura Puaatuua thankful for the Honor Guard's performance.
'Learning through the experience through other students, and also personal experience from my father and my other family who are in the military, I know that it is a very big struggle,' Puaatuua said. 'I think it's really cool that we're actually celebrating this, and we're celebrating the struggle that these certain kids have to go through because of their situation.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
