A public candlelight vigil is planned for tonight at the Wai'anae High School cafeteria for Asa Yamashita, the school's reading strategies coach and former English teacher who was fatally stabbed Friday.

The memorial vigil, from 7 to 9 p.m., is a way for the community to join students, faculty and staff at the school in honoring Yamashita, said Janice Uemori, student activities coordinator.

"We're trying to do something that's a little bit more public because we want to allow anyone to come in who wants to," Uemori said. "We're starting to get e-mails, text messages and calls from all sorts of people who are wanting to be with other people who knew and loved her."

Visitors are asked to bring a candle for the vigil and a book donation for the school's Sustained Silent Reading Library, which Yamashita, 43, was instrumental in starting.

Yesterday, a man charged in Yamashita's murder said nothing in his first appearance in court.

Tittleman Fauatea, 25, listened quietly as a charge of second-degree murder was read to him.

District Judge Paula Devens advised Fauatea to say nothing at the initial appearance and set a preliminary hearing in the case for tomorrow.

Dressed in a white jail jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and ankles, Fauatea was led from the court by deputy sheriffs. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Deputy public defender Christian Enright represented Fauatea at the brief hearing. He declined comment on the case outside court.

According to a police affidavit, Fauatea stabbed Yamashita multiple times Friday afternoon as she sat on a bench at the Ewa Town Center. The brutal slaying appeared to be random. Police said they knew of no connection between Yamashita and Fauatea.

He allegedly used a foot-long knife bought earlier at the nearby Longs Drugs store, according to police.

Yamashita, the mother of two girls, was pronounced dead at Hawaii Medical Center West.

At Wai'anae High School, students and faculty returned to their classrooms yesterday for the first time since Yamashita's murder.

Grief counselors were on hand to speak with students and faculty who wanted to discuss how the tragedy has affected them.

Kat Muranaka, curriculum support employee at the school, said a memory box honoring Yamashita had been placed in the main school office in which faculty and staff members could place their written thoughts and condolences to be presented to Yamashita's husband, Bryan, daughters Katie and Tori and other family members.

Muranaka also said school alumni made a sign saying, "We miss you Mrs. Yamashita," which was placed on the school fence for students who want to acknowledge the teacher with flowers or written sentiments.

"We all knew she was incredible," Muranaka said. "You knew you were working with an exceptional person. We spoke to her older sister yesterday at the house, and she summed it up best. She said, 'You know, Asa always thrived on a challenge.' That's so Asa."

Candy Suiso, program director for Seariders Productions, the school's award-winning media education program, said her students will be making a video about Yamashita, whom she described as a woman who was dedicated to inspiring others to appreciate reading.

"She was the 'Book Lady,' " Suiso said. "She was the one who drove this literacy campaign. She's the main reason our scores have risen in our reading — the whole movement behind loving to read at the school.

"And we want to honor this woman who was just the most incredible gift to our community."