The Period Project
Junior Student Kahaʻi Duquette sets up a take-one-leave-one station in the women’s auditorium bathroom.
What began as a school project has become a passion of junior student Cassidy Duquette, otherwise known as Kahaʻi.
Kahaʻi Duquette, a junior student enrolled in Honors Pacific Literature, is one of Kumu Puleloa’s many students who participated in a class project known as the Pono Project. Together, she and her group launched what they called “Project Girl Boss”, which led Kaha’i to her own developments.
Inspired by the Pono Project, Kahaʻi began a new mission to provide feminine hygiene products in every girlʻs bathroom, campus-wide. With her “take-one leave-one” concept, period products such as tampons and pads have been made widely available to female haumāna.
“I created ʻtake-one-leave-oneʻ stations in all the girl’s bathrooms in upper campus because I wanted to create a way for girls to not only be supplied with menstrual products but bring this community of girls together to help each other”, said Kahaʻi.
Kahaʻi’s efforts to provide complementary period products for those who need it has become highly appreciated and noticed by high school girls all throughout campus.
“I think it’s a great step towards being more inclusive towards the female demographic,” said junior student Ryen Hampton.
“It’s nice to know that girls at this school care about me,” said Emma Akana, a KS junior.
Meanwhile, Kahaʻi says the support has been overwhelming.
“It’s so great to see how everyone has been utilizing the stations around school and I always love when I see that they’re filled. All the different brands of pads and tampons just show how involved the community is” said Kahaʻi.
As for what’s next, Kahaʻi plans to disprove the negative stigma associated with menstrual cycles. Challenging the false assumptions that surround periods is one way Kahaʻi intends to make this happen. Educating KS leaders and haumāna is another.
“People think that periods are dirty and that women who have their periods are irritable and angry, but that’s just idiotic. I want to put an end to this way of thinking.”
For more information regarding menstrual health and education, refer to
https://period-action.org/education
EMAIL: [email protected]
Hi! My name is Logan and this is my second year on Ka Mō’ī. I am a part of the c/o 2023 and wanted to make this last year memorable for everyone by being a part of the school newspaper. When I'm not on the hill, you can usually find me working at Baskin Robbins as a cake decorator on the weekends. As for my post-high school plans, I intend on double majoring in Communications and Education. After graduating from college, I hope to return to KS as a teacher or admin for some time while I continue to write and do journalism on the side. Eventually, I plan on pursuing a full-time career in writing (though I don't know exactly what that career will be). With the help of everyone else on Ka Mō’ī, I hope to restore the interest haumāna once had in reading the school newspaper. If you have any questions, feel free to email me!
