There are some budding public speakers on the Leeward Coast, getting comfortable with the microphone. It's all part of a pilot project designed to help teachers and students communicate more effectively.

These second grade students and their teacher are using an audio system built by audio enhancements and donated to the school by Altres. The company has been partnering with schools for about six years and this year wanted to try something different.

"That you could have a lasting impact in the classroom up to twenty years so that every child, every teacher that passed through that classroom would get the benefit of this nominal investment," said David Bower, from Altres.

The concept is basic. The teacher is equipped a wireless microphone connected to speakers throughout the room.

"But there's also a handheld mike that the students get to use and they pass it around so when a student is up front sharing or reading a story or answering a question, every child in the classroom gets to hear that child's response as well," said Bower.

Principal Elden Esmeralda says the feedback from the teachers and students has been extremely positive. Teachers don't have to strain to be heard.

"Now students don't have to say hey, I want to sit over there because I want to focus to hear the teacher. It's - oh, everybody can hear the teacher great," said Esmeralda.

Eight classrooms at Nanaikapono are already equipped with the audio enhancement system. Altres will work with its clients to secure their help on equipping more. Bower says - it's important.

"As much as 60 or 70 percent of learning happens with our auditory sense so if children are not picking up what the teacher is saying throughout a lesson or throughout the day, it's not only affecting their desire to learn but but also their ability to learn."