COURTESY MOSTREET PRODUCTIONS
The video shows the 215 red-and-white robed graduates swaying
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A spirited and soulful performance by Kahuku High School’s seniors at graduation has grabbed more than 2 million views on the Internet.
The video shows the 215 red-and-white robed graduates swaying, singing and dancing in sync with a medley of songs at the ceremony Thursday, culminating in their version of a Maori haka.
"It’s been pretty magical for our seniors and also for our community," Vice Principal Walter Santiago said Tuesday. "What everybody’s seeing right now on the Internet is really the heartbeat of our community, of all our communities here in Kahuku."
The Class of 2015 put the nine-minute show together in three days, led by alumni families who come back every year to choreograph the effort, he said. They personalized the songs with their own words, tracing their time from kindergarten through their launch into society as graduates.
The performance was featured on the "Today" show and "Good Morning America" on Tuesday. The medley includes Mark Ronson’s "Uptown Funk" featuring Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift’s "Shake It Off."
Kahuku High, on Windward Oahu, has a diverse student body encompassing the whole of Polynesia, including Native Hawaiians, Samoans and Tongans, as well as many other ethnicities.
"Our graduation has always been very festive," Santiago said. "It’s an opportunity for students to show their pride and their unique emotions and feelings about their years at Kahuku High and Intermediate."
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On the Net:
» youtu.be/jMzIqrMFdA0