By Kamaka Pili
HONOLULU (KHON2) — What was once a dream is turning into a reality for the educators at Washington Middle School. They have been working for more than a decade on creating a state-of-the-art recording studio to help students find and grow their own dreams.
Washington Middle School on South King Street has had the same vision for many years — to nurture lifelong learners.
That vision has led educators on a new path to build a commercial-level recording studio on campus.
Teacher Sam Fong shares the vision and passion, but not the knowledge, so he sought help from legendary studio designer John Storyk. Storyk has helped build thousands of studios over the last 50 years.
“You know, when I spoke to John Storyk, he spoke about Alicia Keys studio, Jay-Z studio, we are talking about these really high profile…Jazz at Lincoln Center,” says Sam Fong, Sound Recording Studio coordinator at Washington Middle School.
“And here I am in the audience, I’m a Washington Middle School technology teacher,” Fong said “So, I just went up to him and just really humbly asked him if he would be willing to help us build a dream.”
Storyk agreed to help, and they developed Washington Middle School’s recording studio together.
The studio will become a resource for all students and teachers after current construction is completed.
“For example, a science teacher,” says Fong.
“I really want to teach students frequencies, you know, and how sound travels and speed and all that,” he said. “Well, we have immersive audio built-in. Our Language Art teacher can write lyrics for a song or slam poetry. And so, then we can get together with them creatively figuring out how to do this on a higher level.”
Middle school students are very impressionable and this project will help them in their journey, according to the principal of Washington Middle.
“What we do know is that if a middle school kid age 10 to 15 can experience different high-level experiences, activities that can inspire or draw out their passion and have them find or develop their voice, that is actually the key to success in their future,” says Michael Harano, Washington Middle School principal.
Line Recording Studio is planning for a soft opening by next school year. Partnership within the community will become vital for the studio as it continues to develop.
