KEA'AU, Hawai'i — Along with auto shop and the other usual electives, Kea'au High School in Puna offers an uncommon course called Environmental and Spatial Technology, or EAST.

Using banks of desktop computers, software and an oversized printer that produces eye-catching maps and posters, students enrolled in the course tap the apparatus to take on community problems.

Through one EAST project, students worked with University of Hawai'i-Hilo researchers to identify areas of the Big Island that had been infested with the invasive coqui frog, using rainfall and other environmental data to project where the noisy frogs would take up residence.

In another project, students developed a map pinpointing all hunter check-in stations on the Big Island, thereby creating a safety tool that can be posted in public places or used to brief hunters before they venture into unfamiliar terrain.

A project in the works for this year will team student volunteers with an organization that delivers services to the homeless to assist with fundraising or other efforts intended to raise public awareness about homelessness.

"What we do in the beginning is try to bring up the problem that we think affects the community the most," said Stewart Van Cleave, 16, who is tasked with keeping the computers and other equipment running properly.

Teacher John Constantinou added, "This class is very student-driven, and it's based on student growth ... and they are really encouraged to pick things that they want to work on."

That ties in well with the efforts by the Kea'au staff and Principal Ann Paulino to encourage Kea'au High students to take responsibility for themselves, and expect more for themselves. The school serves an area of 111 square miles dominated by working-class communities, and the Kea'au staff presses the students to think about life after high school, Paulino said.

Many of the students' parents are not college-educated, and many of the students believe that college is beyond their reach.

"That's more of our challenge, is helping them to believe that, 'Yes, you can do it, and here are the ways to do it,' " Paulino said. "We've had to talk with them to help them to aspire to do great things.

"It's helping them to see that this is not the end of everything. Beyond this is something else," she said.

What are you most proud of? The indicators for graduation and success in higher education — Hawai'i State Assessment scores, number of students applying and getting scholarships, number of students going on to college studies — are either increasing or maintaining. Students understand that they are in charge of their own destiny and try to fulfill their dreams as graduates. There is more of a student voice on campus and more students are taking on the challenge of becoming leaders whether it be in the classroom, on campus or in the community.

Best-kept secret: There is an alliance with the rest of the schools in the Kea'au complex. The administrators work together within the complex, which includes Mountain View Elementary, Kea'au Elementary, and Kea'au Middle on almost a weekly basis. The school community councils meet together on a quarterly basis to communicate and align our efforts and resources. We have some of the best facilities on the island and some of the most dedicated and committed staff members. At the high school there are three nationally certified teachers.

Everybody at our school knows: Ms. McGuire, our athletic director, since more than half of our students participate in athletics.

Our biggest challenge: Transportation — getting students to stay after-school and come in on the weekends; about 85 percent of our students are bused in to school.

What we need: Transportation — getting our own bus or vans would be great.

Special events: Christmas Parade; all of our schools participate and include the rest of the schools in the community. The idea began as a cooperative venture with Shipman Incorporated and has expanded over the years.

Notable alumni: Patty Van Cleave, full scholarship to Coast Guard Academy; Sarah Sheffield, full golf scholarship to Gonzaga University. The school is eight years old and has had only five graduating classes.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.