To support the children affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires, the nonprofit Maui United Way is funding the installation of a children’s playhouse at the temporary Kamehameha III School in Pulelehua.

What You Need To Know

  • The nonprofit Maui United Way is funding the installation of a children’s playhouse at the temporary Kamehameha III School

  • Maui United Way previously contributed $178,000 for the construction of a playground on campus, about $10,000 in supplies for the art room, and funding for bike helmets and bike safety courses for students who received bicycles after the fires

The temporary elementary school at Pulelehua opened in April 2024, replacing the original King Kamehameha III Elementary School campus that sat along Lahaina’s Front Street and was destroyed during the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed the $78 million school at Pulelehua, with funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Pono Aina Management, a Native Hawaiian organization, was awarded a $53.7 million contract to construct the campus. 

Maui United Way previously contributed $178,000 for the construction of a playground on campus, about $10,000 in supplies for the art room, and funding for bike helmets and bike safety courses for students who received bicycles after the fires, according to a news release. 

“Maui United Way’s generosity has made an incredible difference in the lives of our students,” said Vice Principal Charlotte Patao of King Kamehameha III Elementary School in a statement. “The new playhouses and playground will give our keiki the opportunity to play, socialize, and find moments of joy amid all they’ve been through. The art room is also an essential resource for helping our students express themselves and heal through creativity. We are truly grateful for these meaningful contributions.”     

After the Lahaina wildfire, former King Kamehameha III Elementary School students transitioned multiple times to different learning scenarios. First, they enrolled in online education, then they went to learning hubs in community spaces, and in October 2023 they attended in-person school in tent structures on the Princess Nahienaena Elementary campus. 

The campus at Pulelehua includes 30 air-conditioned modular classrooms, an administration building, library, student support center, cafeteria and more.

About 350 students attend the school. The Hawaii Department of Education expects to use the temporary school campus for up to five years, while crafting plans for a permanent replacement school with the Lahaina community. 

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