Do you remember playing school when you were a child? Well, for the Herman and Joan Paleka family of the Kapaa 2nd Ward, Kauai Hawaii Stake, it's more than a childhood game.

It's the family way.Every Paleka has taught, is teaching or plans to teach school for a living. "We are fourth-generation teachers," said eldest daughter Catherine Lei Paleka, who teaches music at Kapaa High School and coaches girls junior varsity volleyball. During a Church News telephone interview, she spoke lovingly - and sometimes amusingly - of her upbringing.

"I think the reason we became teachers was we saw how much impact teachers had, not only in the community, but also in our own family," she related. "My parents had a greater understanding of being parents because they saw the connection between what the students were like in the schools and in society and how their home life was.

"There's not a millionaire in the family," she added, chuckling. But they are rich in many others ways - spiritually, mentally and physically - she added.

In fact, the impact and example of the Paleka family on the community has been so great that they were recently named the 1997 Kauai Family of the Year.

Brother Paleka, now retired, taught math and science for 28 years at Kapaa elementary school. Sister Paleka teaches special reading classes to elementary school children and tutors on a voluntary basis after school. Their eldest son, Calvin Lanakila Paleka, teaches Japanese at Kapaa High School and coaches varsity football. Curtis La`akea Paleka, who returned from the Philippines Bacolod Mission Nov. 22, plans to one day teach in the field of agriculture. Carleen Leialoha Paleka is attending BYU-Hawaii studying to teach math, following in the footsteps of her father. Youngest daughter, Cherie Leina`ala Paleka, plays five sports at Kapaa High School and hopes to one day teach physical education.

Catherine pointed out that all the Paleka children have the initials "CLP." She laughed when she explained that family tradition. "My mother is so practical," she said. "She wanted to get one set of luggage and get it monogrammed. If we all had the same initials, we could use the same set. That's the only reason!"

A loving and good-natured atmosphere began early in the Paleka family. Brother and Sister Paleka met while students at BYU-Hawaii in the late 1960s, when both had already decided to pursue a teaching career. This gave the young couple something in common, besides their love of the gospel, Brother Paleka recalled.

During the first two years of their marriage, both taught school. Then, Sister Paleka quit and stayed home 17 years to rear their growing family.

But by no means did her teaching end. In fact, Catherine recalled: "By the time I got into kindergarten and first grade, I already knew how to multiply and how to read. By the time I was in the second grade, I was reading Reader's Digest condensed books. I love to read. You can credit my mother for that one.

"With her being home, we had an elementary school teacher all to ourselves. It was our version of preschool."

Sister Paleka, during a separate telephone conversation, explained that being a teacher taught her patience - a great asset for a mother. "When you're a school teacher, you learn to bite your tongue. You have to learn how to wait. Then children learn to solve their own problems. And if you wait, you don't say things you might regret as a mother."

Speaking of rearing his children, Brother Paleka added: "They grew up in a teacher's atmosphere. They used to correct papers when they were young. All of them used to play teacher. I'd go to my classroom on weekends and take some of the children with me, and I'd be doing school things and they'd imitate what I did as a teacher."

Not only did the Paleka children learn to study academically, they also learned to love gospel study. The family has regularly held family home evening and studied the scriptures together. In addition, for the boys to Eagle Scouts and serve a full-time mission is the family norm. Brother Paleka served in New Zealand before his marriage. Their eldest son served in Japan.

Growing up in a learning environment better prepared them for serving missions and facing life, Brother Paleka said. In addition, relationships between brothers and sisters were enhanced. In fact, Calvin taught Carleen Japanese in high school, and, today, Cherie is taking a music class from her eldest sister.

But no matter who the teacher is, the Paleka family honors the teaching tradition. As Catherine said, "When you ask people who impacted their lives the most, many times they will speak of a teacher."