What are you most proud of? "I am proud of the fact that our staff has worked hard to improve student achievement in our school, despite having a lot on their plate," said Honoka'a High and Intermediate School Principal Stanford Ha'o. Playing off the school's dragon mascot, Ha'o said, "We try to breathe FIRE — family, individual worth, responsibilities and excellence — into everything we do."

What is your biggest challenge? "That would be maintaining the successful programs we currently offer while meeting the demands of standards-based education and No Child Left Behind," Ha'o said. "With the emphasis on academics, space for elective course offerings are becoming a challenge."

Special events: Honoka'a was the first school in Hawai'i to initiate the American Cancer Society's Youth Relay for Life. The school competes in math and science competitions and the state robotics competition. As a member of the Hawai'i Arts Alliance, the school recently was recognized as an "Arts Excellence School" for its integration of arts in curriculum. "Whether performing — drama, poetry, speech, jazz band and ensemble — or visual arts — drawing, painting, architectural design, robotics and video/graphic design — they are woven into the curriculum throughout the school," Ha'o said. The school also maintains one of the few agricultural programs in the state, a reflection of the community's deep roots in farming, Ha'o said.

Well known alumni: Honoka'a has its share of doctors, lawyers, principals and other professionals. Many want to return to give back to their community. Other notable graduates include:

State Rep. Dwight Takamine, D-1st (Kohala, Hamakua, North Hilo); Hawai'i County Councilman Dominic Yagong; and National Football League offensive lineman Kaulana Noa.

AT A GLANCE

Where: 45-527 Pakalana St., Honoka'a, West Hawai'i Complex

Grade span: Grades 7-12

Enrollment: 840

Race/ethnicity enrollment: Part-Hawaiian, 31.6 percent; Filipino, 22.7 percent; white, 12.7 percent; Japanese, 7.3 percent; Hawaiian, 6.9 percent; Portuguese, 6.4 percent; Hispanic, 2.6 percent; Samoan, 1.6, other 8.2 percent.

Free and reduced-price lunch eligible: About 40 percent of students receive free or reduced-price lunches.

Special education students: About 21 percent of students qualify for services through the Individuals with Disabilities Act.

Computers: 300 computers for student use.

Principal: Stanford Ha'o, two years

School nickname: Dragons

School colors: Green and gold

History: Located in the center of Honoka'a on the Hamakua Coast of Hawai'i Island, the school was established in 1889 and serves a large geographic that is largely rooted in agriculture.

The closure of the Hamakua Sugar Plantation drastically altered the community in general. Today, the area is fed economically with a mixture of tourism, farming and ranching.

Testing: Here's how Honoka'a High and Intermediate School students fared on the most recent standardized tests.