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by C.J. Hines

A long one wall of Makawao Elementary School in Maui, Hawaii, is a colorful 6-by-16 foot mural of children playing hopscotch, climbing a jungle gym and enjoying other playground activities, all set against the backdrop of the Haleakala Mountain.

All 450 Makawao students designed the mural with things they loved about school or the “Upcountry” where they lived. But there was a deeper purpose: to honor student teacher Lori Rich, who believed art is an important part of life, not an afterthought.

The 216-ceramic-tile display stands as a tribute to Rich, who died in 2004 from Wegener’s Granulomatosis, an autoimmune disease where blood vessels become inflamed and destroy normal tissue.

“We designed a mural of our school playground with the mountain in the background because this was where Lori participated in our lives,” said Julie Vandervoort, Makawao teacher and project director.

The mural gave Lori’s parents, Steve and Jerilyn Rich of Kalona, a way to honor their daughter. They donated $1,500 to the school in Lori’s name, who student taught there in 2002.

When Lori applied for her teaching assignment, she knew where she wanted to go— Hawaii. But no UNI student had taught there before. UNI officials were reluctant to grant her request; first they had to find an on-site university supervisor in Hawaii to oversee her assignment.

Marilyn Colvin from the University of Hawaii first thought Lori was another ‘beach bum girl from the states’ who wanted to come to Hawaii,” Jerilyn said. “But Lori persisted.”

Lori’s persistence also involved reconnecting with her first-grade teacher, Wendy Conlan, who taught at Centers of Learning at Shiloh, a private school near Kalona, before moving to Maui 18 years ago.

“After high school Lori’s parents brought her to Maui. It was fun to hear she was going into teaching,” said Conlan, her co-op teacher at Makawao. “Later on, she called and said she wanted to do her student teaching in Maui. I was surprised she was serious about it. Lori was persistent and eventually her name came up on the list of student teachers interested in working at our school.”

Dr. Janey Montgomery from the UNI Office of Field Experiences, developed the agreement with Colvin to oversee Lori’s assignment.

“She did her student teaching after 9/11 when many students changed their minds about going out-of-state or international,” said Montgomery, who traveled to Hawaii to visit Lori’s class. “Lori was full of energy and excited about student teaching in Hawaii with her own kindergarten teacher from Iowa. She was a natural teacher, she never missed a beat—always in tune with the children. She believed that learning was fun and within the grasp of each child.”

Lori graduated from UNI in 2002, with degrees in elementary education and early childhood education, then returned to Hawaii in early 2003 to teach preschoolers in Waikiki. Six months later she was teaching fourth-graders at Koko Head Elementary School in Honolulu.

In late 2003, after suffering from what she thought was a persistent ear infection, Lori was diagnosed with WG. In 2004, she was hospitalized, the disease attacking her lungs. Although she didn’t return to work her students didn’t forget her; they sent letters and pictures she displayed around her room. Teachers and staff at both schools donated sick leave and vacation time so Lori would get paid through the end of the school year.

When she was well enough to travel, her parents brought her home, where she died in September. She was 24. “Lori was very much a people person. So many people could have benefited from her touch,” Jerilyn said.

Although those who had Lori as a teacher are now in middle school, some come back to visit. “When I see them I mention Ms. Rich and they have good memories of her,” said Conlan. “They are very proud of the work they did on the mural.”

Her parents have not seen the mural, which was installed last May, but plan a trip this year. “It was important to remember Makawao,” said Jerilyn. “I know Lori would’ve been honored. She had a real drive to make a difference in her students’ lives.”

Maintained by the UNI Alumni Association
Last Modified: January 23, 2007