Dear Reader,
For four years, I have written to you as a staff member, editor and student voice at Sacred Hearts Academy. This will be my final piece for “Ka Leo,” and perhaps the hardest one to write, because this isn’t just a goodbye but also a chance to rightfully honor what this publication means to me, to those who came before me, and to the voice I’ve been trusted to share as Editor-In-Chief.
Over the years, “Ka Leo” has become much more than just a school publication; it’s been the spark that made me feel as though I could be something more and pushed me beyond my wildest dreams.
When I first walked into the newsroom, my heart was pounding so hard I was so sure everyone could hear it. It was so unfamiliar, tucked away in an area of campus I had never explored. I heard a welcoming “Hi! Take a seat anywhere”, and shuffled to an open spot and sank into a chair that was for sure someone else’s, as I observed the room. As my eyes shifted across the room, I saw not only students, but a community that was so welcoming, driven and passionate about the same goal.
That welcoming “Hi, take a seat anywhere” was my invitation to belong. Everyone moved with kindness and passion, and welcomed me with open arms. In that moment, frozen in a chair that was someone else’s, I felt both terrified and the most alive I’ve ever felt.
“Ka Leo” held that spark and ignited it into a burning fire. From that first day, I poured all my energy into lunches, writing articles, interviews with anyone who would hear me out, and even creating the Academy’s first-ever video production club, Lancers Keep it Reel. I was in the pursuit of being a voice for the students at the Academy. where short films I worked on, like “Believe It or Not, I Care,” found their way to PBS Hawai’i, I chased every chance to amplify voices that deserved hearing. Step by step, I rose each year: staff reporter, Features Editor and finally the first Editor-in-Chief in over two decades.
The stories I have covered didn’t just fill up our website, it reshaped me as a person. Documenting Lahaina survivors taught me to sit with grief and still find hope in their voices. The bakery worker’s dedication showed me that beauty hides in the daily grind of life. The figure skating Shimizu sisters revealed how grace thrives under pressure. Our new president’s passion for the Academy gave me the courage to lead through change and thrive constantly. Even the power outage breaking news article proved resilience isn’t loud. It’s adapting and pushing through change. “Ka Leo” gave me the purpose: to be the voice for the wonderful acts that often go unheard in our community.
To have the opportunity to see Ka Leo accomplish so much in these four years has been incredible. For the first time in over a decade, the Ka Leo staff proudly accepted the first-place award for Best Newspaper in the State Award 2023, over a virtual awards ceremony. Hearing our names announced, the newsroom filled with cheers and laughter, even with a few seniors crying tears of joy. Now, we have secured that title four years in a row, and I’ve been lucky enough to have seen all of it.
That moment taught me journalism’s important calling: to be the voice for the community, and show all the hard work people do. At the Academy, that voice carries extra weight, amplifying not only events but also the spirit and passion of young girls who aspire to become women who inspire. “Ka Leo” showed me what our school prepares us to be: responsible and diligent, yes, but also compassionate leaders shaped by Catholic teachings of service, truth and love for one another.
So, future voices of “Ka Leo”, I challenge you to do this; keep being the voice the Academy needs. Chase the stories no one else notices, fight for the opportunity to write what you believe needs to be covered, and work as a team to elevate “Ka Leo” as much as you can so the next generation has not only a spark, but a fierce fire.
Show the world what young women from the Academy can do. Be strong, courageous and passionate in your commitment to getting the word of the Academy out there.
And now, as I graduate this year, I join the line of all the other Editors-in-Chief before me, documented in “Ka Leo’s” history, and I’m eager to see all the amazing things “Ka Leo” will accomplish. I picture future freshmen walking through the door of the new and improved newsroom, hearts pounding, hearing “Hi, take a seat anywhere”, and finding their spark just as I once did.
To my ever-loving Academy family: students, teachers, administrators, advisors and especially my Journalism advisor, Mrs. Myers; thank you for believing in me and in “Ka Leo”. To the readers of “Ka Leo” who trusted us to be your news publication, thank you. From that pounding heart in the doorway to standing tall as your first Editor-in-Chief in over two decades, this newsroom has given me everything. Mahalo nui loa. Keep the fire burning bright.
Keira Wheeler, Class of 2026
Garrett Wheeler • May 19, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Congratulations on your outstanding work. I know you’ll do great things ahead. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter.
Lance • May 19, 2026 at 11:03 am
It’s always a pleasure reading your articles! You always offer such thoughtful commentary and enlightening opinions. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!