Teach For America Hawaiʻi held its annual holiday party in December 2023. Mahalo to Jeff and Loan Arce, and Mitch and Bambi D’Olier for their grace and generosity in hosting the party at KUPU’s Hoʻokupu Center. We celebrated the year with more than 100 alumni, donors, supporters, and community members.

Second-generation alum Devin Takahashi (Hawaiʻi ʻ17), who was taught and inspired by Leo Shimizu (Hawaiʻi ʻ10), shared remarks during the event. Devin currently teaches students in his home community of Nānākuli. There, he co-leads the Hoʻopulapula Academy at Nānākul High and Intermediate and teaches 7th and 8th-grade students their core courses of science, math, and social government through a place and culture-based curriculum. 

Devin was joined by his students, Noelani Nahinu and Bailey Kahue-Hoff, who collectively shared about their work in the program and how it has helped them to develop their leadership skills and find their individual voices. With an extensive mala (school garden), students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning experiences as they learn to cultivate and harvest plants and care for animals.