Craig Koga, a Kaua'i High School graduate whose children now attend that same school, is a big believer in the power of parents, especially those eager to help with school repairs and fix-up projects.

As the volunteer coordinator of an ambitious athletic field cleanup campaign, Koga enlisted the help of hundreds of parent and student volunteers.

The effort, which started three months ago and is just finishing up, also attracted area businesses that donated time, money, vehicles and heavy equipment. In the end, workers transformed an old, small, unused running track into a resurfaced, expanded, landscaped football field. Tons of donated topsoil have been added, along with a new sprinkler system.

"It was just an awesome project," said Ryan Shigetani, executive director of Hawai'i 3Rs (Repair, Remodel, and Restore), a private nonprofit organization that awards work grants to Hawai'i public schools through state, federal and private funding.

Not all projects needed at Hawai'i schools are so grand. But with the state unable to immediately address all the cleanup, fix-up and improvement projects at its nearly 300 schools statewide, virtually every school could use a hand.

And, like Koga and the other volunteers at Kaua'i High, you can help.

Often, no special skills are required. The tasks can range from cutting grass and pulling weeds to painting and general cleanup.

Without parent volunteers, much of the basic repair work would not be done, said Joel Kawachi, athletic director at Moanalua High School.

"All of this kind of thing cannot be done with DOE (Department of Education) funded money," Kawachi said. "It comes from organizations, parents, supporters, alumni — wherever we can get the help."

His school has relied on community volunteer help on recent painting, fencing and gutter installation projects, he said.

Many repair and maintenance projects are performed for individual schools through the Hawai'i 3Rs organization.

In six years, Hawai'i 3Rs has saved taxpayers millions through volunteer efforts.

But Shigetani said the Kaua'i High project is in a league all its own. Working with a financial grant of just $25,000, the Kaua'i High volunteer team was able to accomplish what would otherwise have cost the state $400,000, he said.

"There's a lot of community support out there," said Koga. "You've just got to ask."

Sometimes you barely need to make the request.

At Pearl City Highlands Elementary School, Kokua Hui, the school's parent association, has in recent months helped install three playgrounds, library air conditioners and a campus intercom system. All that has been in addition to the hui's volunteer fundraising efforts, which help pay for ongoing improvement projects.

Kawachi said student athletes have used old-fashioned word-of-mouth to find parent volunteers at Moanalua High School.

Parent, student and supporter volunteers do more than fix things and save the schools money, said Kawachi. Their efforts help to build a vital sense of school pride in the community.

"That way, they all have a stake in it," he said.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.