Twenty-two schools across the states are rallying to get air conditioning in all Hawaii Department of Education Schools.

“It gets very hot and tired which makes me not want to do anything,” sophomore, Jeralyn Finuliar, said.

In a campaign spearheaded by a Campbell High School teacher, Corey Rosenlee, is encouraging teachers and students to write letters to lawmakers and participate in a Sept. 26 rally at the Capitol to seek air conditioning in classrooms.

“Schools across the mainland are closing because their classrooms got into the high 80s and low 90s, yet that is a daily occurrence in Hawaii schools,” Rosenlee said.

Lane Yokoyama, a graphics and digital photography teacher, said that “I think we need our rooms to be air conditioned.” Yokoyama’s classroom is located in O-Building which is by the student parking lot. Yokoyama said that it gets really hot and muggy.

“[Having no AC in classrooms] is not conducive to  [students] learning,” Yokoyama said. He said that if schools had air conditioned classrooms, students would be more respectful and more eager to learn. “It’s a very big difference,” he said.

“I would absolutely do my work and I’d be way more happier,” Finuliar said.

According to Katherine Poythress of Honolulu Civil Beat in her article, “A/C In All Hawaii Schools: When Hell Freezes Over,” it states that “officials from the education department informed legislators it would cost $1.5 billion to air condition all of Hawaii’s public schools.”

At the same time, Yokoyama believes that the amount of money to install air conditioning is ridiculous.

“We gotta be good stewards with power,” he said.

Heeding his own advice, Yokoyama makes sure that he turns off all lights before leaving rooms in order to save electricity. Yokoyama said that if we all do it, it’ll make a change.