Honolulu Star Advertiser

Kaimuki Christian School will host a blessing ceremony and dedication at 10 a.m. Friday for its new $4.2 million educational center.

The new Clarence T.C. Ching Educational Center completes the first segment of the second phase of Kaimuki Christian Church and School’s master plan to accommodate a larger student body and create more affordable private school options in Honolulu, from preschool to 12th grade.

The new education center features rooms wired for technology, with computer stations and mobile tablet access for every child. In addition, the center will include administrative offices, teacher work space and a tutorial room. There will also be a music center and areas for studies ranging from art to Mandarin.

“There is a great need for quality, values-based education in which students are prepared for college and a highly competitive world,” said Kaimuki Christian School Prinicpal Mark Gallagher in the release. “This center will enable access for more students to obtain a quality education in urban Honolulu.”

The educational center is part of Kaimuki Christian School’s master plan, which has involved the acquisition of seven nearby properties over the past 18 years, the release said. The Clarence T. C. Ching Foundation contributed $1.5 million toward the education center. Other contributors include First Hawaiian Bank, which contributed $25,000, and the Atherton Foundation (through Hawaii Community Foundation), which provided $50,000.

Construction of the next phase of the master plan, with six additional classrooms, is scheduled to begin within the next two years.