DARE Day draws hundreds of East Hawaii students to Hilo event

More than 800 East Hawaii students filled Sparky Kawamoto Swim Stadium in Hilo for DARE Day, turning a drug-prevention program into a community event built around swimming, water-sliding, carnival games, tug-of-war and a steady stream of public-safety demonstrations.

The annual gathering, held Friday, May 8, 2026, brought elementary- and middle-school students from Hilo Intermediate, Waiakea Intermediate, Pāhoa Intermediate, Honokaa Intermediate, Keaau Middle School, Keonepoko Elementary, Kalanianaole Elementary and Paauilo Elementary School. Pizza and other snacks kept the atmosphere closer to a field day than a lecture hall, but the message remained rooted in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program’s pledge to avoid drugs and alcohol and make safe, healthy and responsible choices.

Hawaii Police Department officials used the event to show students what first responders actually do. Police Chief Reed Mahuna gave opening remarks, Police Chaplain Jeremy Barrientos delivered the benediction, the Hilo High School JROTC presented the colors and Lyles Yokoyama performed the national anthem. The opening ceremony framed DARE Day as a civic event as much as a school outing, with police, fire and school personnel sharing the stage before the demonstrations began.

The strongest draw came from the hands-on displays. Students watched the police bomb squad robot work through a bomb-threat response, saw the Hawaii Fire Department stage a simulated traffic collision rescue with an injured victim being pulled from a wrecked car and watched officers demonstrate a helicopter airlift. K9 Axel also made an appearance. A Waiakea Intermediate teacher said students were excited to meet police officers in a positive atmosphere, and a sixth-grader singled out the helicopter demonstration as the highlight.

HPD describes its Keepin’ it REAL curriculum as evidence-based lessons designed to help students resist peer pressure, avoid substance abuse and deal with bullying and other life challenges. DARE Day showed how the department is packaging that message now: less as old-style anti-drug messaging and more as trust-building, safety education and exposure to the island’s emergency-response system.

The tug-of-war capped the day with a clear winner. Keonepoko Elementary School took top honors and brought home the perpetual trophy. The turnout also marked a step up from 2024, when more than 600 students attended an East Hawaii DARE Day that was described as the first large gathering of DARE graduates since the COVID-19 hiatus. This year’s crowd suggests the event has regained momentum, but its lasting value will be measured by whether the schools, police and fire departments can turn one memorable day at the stadium into steadier prevention across East Hawaii.