A plaster image of a bodysurfing Barack Obama is among the ornaments created by Kalani High School art students and teachers for the 2012 National Christmas Tree display in Washington, D.C.

The Obama design by art department chairman John Nippolt is based on a photograph of the then-U.S. senator enjoying the waves at Sandy Beach a couple of months before he was elected president in 2008.

Nippolt, who has been teaching at Kalani for eight years, said he was stunned to hear the news that his students were selected for the honor since he didn’t even apply to represent the state at the annual holiday event. He hasn’t exactly figured out how it all came together, but suspects some friends in the local art community may have had something to do with it.

"To be selected and to do these ornaments for the Hawaii tree is pretty fabulous for the kids," Nippolt said.

Twenty-four ornaments were created to fit inside plastic globes that will protect them from the elements. The decorations were shipped out last week.

Visiting artist Kahi Ching worked with Nippolt and 14 students on the ornaments, which include reindeer and mene­hune in a canoe, the USS Arizona Memorial, fire goddess Pele’s face in the smoke rising from a volcano, and the Hoku­le‘a voyaging canoe following a star. Teacher Sherrilea Kata­sako created an ornament showing St. Damien outside St. Philomena Church in Kalaupapa.

The Hokule‘a globe was made by Kalani ninth-grader Samantha Churchill, who said the design of gold wire, balsa wood, resin and glitter was in part inspired by her uncle, famed Polynesian navigator Nai­noa Thompson.

"I also thought about how the three wise men followed the star to Jesus on Christmas and how the Hoku­le‘a follows the North Star home, so it’s symbolic in a way," said Churchill, 14.

An ornament by senior Pua­lani Pereira, 17, shows Santa relaxing on a beach. "I wanted to incorporate what Hawaii is like at Christmastime," she said.

"I think it’s such an honor. It’s really cool to get an opportunity to be a part of something like this."

Senior Mallory Weldon, 18, also kept with a tropical theme. "You can’t do a snowman in Hawaii, so I did a sandman," she said.

The 90th National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at President’s Park, presented by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation, will take place Dec 6. For information, visit www.thenationaltree.org.