Teach For America Hawai'i

We are thrilled to introduce our new incoming corps members! Each week, we’ll spotlight some of our outstanding 2024 TFA Hawai‘i Corps members. This week, meet Olivia and Chase!

This year’s FAFSA cycle has been challenging, due to the rollout of the Better FAFSA. Through a grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation, we are mobilizing grassroots volunteers to help get the word out about completing the FAFSA in this homestretch before the June 30 deadline. Folks don’t have to be experts, as our materials will refer families to existing resources and services.

We’ll be focusing on the Kapolei and Ewa Beach communities. This will be a good opportunity for students and teachers to get out and help raise awareness.

We have an aggressive timeline and would like to start training volunteers by the week of May 20. Please see our attached project description and let me know if you have any questions. Our most pressing need is getting folks out to join our activities, so please feel free to share broadly.

Volunteer registration: https://bit.ly/hifafsa.

Over the past 2 days, our staff officially welcomed our 2024 TFA Hawai’i Corps into their kuleana as our newest cohort of educators. ✨

Our Hawai’i Island corps members got to build pilina with ‘āina and one another through their experience at Kalaemanō & Kona Village. Mahalo nui to Aunty Lei and our hosts for sharing time and space with us! 💚

And a big thank you to Dale and our hosts at Chaminade University, where our O’ahu corps members gathered to build a strengthened sense of community & place. 💜

The kahua has been set for the summer training experience for our 2024 Corps and we look forward to their journey to come! 🌱

As we transition from induction of our second year corps members into alumnihood this past weekend to induction of our new incoming corps members tomorrow, our TFA Hawai’i staff got to share some intentional time all together at our end-of-year staff gathering held in Puna today. We are grateful for a day spent visiting our network of corps members, alumni and school partners in East Hawai’i and reflecting on a year of successes, challenges, and lots of learning and growth. Mahalo to all who have been in partnership with us - we look forward to our continued work alongside community to advance education equity for our keiki in Hawai’i. 💚💜🌱

Congratulations to our 2022 TFA corps members who celebrated their Alumnihood Inductions last night.

We thank you all so much for your commitment to our vision that one day, all children will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

Your futures are so bright, and we cannot wait to continue to support you as a TFA Hawai’i alum.

Mahalo nui to our hosts for a fantastic night🌅🍾

Congratulations to our 2022 TFA Hawaii Corps members who celebrated their Alumni Inductions last night! We are so proud of you and can’t not wait to see the incredible things you accomplish in the future. Mahalo Nui for your continued commitment to education and the community.

These photos are from our Hawaii Island Celebration. Thank you to the Robert’s Foundation for hosting us. Oahu photos coming soon.

congratulations and welcome to our newest alumni 🎓💜

Cheers to our TFA Hawaii Alumni and Current Corps members for crossing the stage with their Masters of Education from this weekend! 🎓 Your dedication shines bright – we’re bursting with pride! 💫

Join our TFA Community!!

Two very exciting opportunities to work with students! The deadline for early applicants for the 2026/2025 school is this Friday, April 19th. The deadline for the Ignite fellows opportunity is the following Friday, April 24th! DM us with questions!

Reminiscing on our TFA family day from last month. Huge thanks to Queen Lili‘uokalani Trust for hosting this incredible ‘aina day!

Mahalo to Māhealani Pai, Kahalu’u Monowai, and TFA Hawai’i AAB! Themed of boundaries (sense of place), balance (Piko O Wākea), and servant leadership were elevated in a day of service, ceremony, and pilina!

Exciting news for educators in Hawaiʻi! 🍎📚 Applications are officially open for the National Board Certification Educator Collaborative. Seize the chance to become Nationally Board Certified for free! Apply now!

TFA Hawai‘i is partnering with The Inspired Chef at ChefZone! From Feb 15th – April 30, go to the link in our bio and purchase a $150 gift box filled with gourmet and artisanal products meant to inspire and elevate your culinary pursuits. The Inspired Chef at ChefZone will donate $100 of each purchase to TFA Hawai‘i in support of our mutual commitment to education and Hawaii’s youth.

PLEASE NOTE: Gift boxes will be available for in-store pick-up only at The Inspired Chef showroom inside ChefZone, 2888 Ualena Street, Honolulu, HI 96819. Showroom pickup hours are Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Education Equity in the Community:

Punahou School’s Davis Democracy Initiative is hosting two upcoming public events featuring Rochelle Gutiérrez, professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, activist, luminary and self-proclaimed "frequent user of creative insubordination.”

Gutiérrez will be joined by Linda Furuto ’97, professor of mathematics education at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, founder of the first Ethnomathematics Graduate Program in the United States and 2023 Obama Foundation Global Leader.

Dr. Gutiérrez’s scholarship focuses on issues of identity and power in education, paying particular attention to how race, class, and language affect teaching and learning. Through in-depth analyses of effective teaching/learning communities and longitudinal studies of developing and practicing teachers, her work challenges deficit views of students who are Latinx, Black, and Indigenous and suggests that educators need to be prepared with much more than just content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, or knowledge of diverse students if they are going to be successful. They need political knowledge.

Public Keynote Event with Rochelle Gutiérrez and Linda Furuto
“Restor(y)ing our Futures”
Wednesday, March 6
6:00 – 7:15 p.m.
Luke Lecture Hall at Wo International Center, Punahou School

Public Roundtable with Rochelle Gutiérrez, Linda Furuto, Kealohi Reppun, and other distinguished guests
"Weaving under the Hala Tree"
Moderated by Meilan Akaka Manfre
Thursday, March 7
6:00 – 7:15 p.m.
Luke Lecture Hall

Link to Register!

Restor(y)ing our Futures and Weaving under the Hala Tree View this form on Formsite

In case you missed our TV special, catch all the action and excitement in the link below!

Link to our TV special:

KHON Special: Illuminating the Light in Every Learner (no commercials)

Valentine’s Day Giveaway!

Tag a teacher in Hawaii who fills your heart with love for a chance to win $25 gift cards for both of you!

Here’s how to enter:
1. Be following us
2. Tag a teacher at your school or in your community that makes you feel loved!

Competition closes at 8pm on 2/16. Winner announced 2/21.

⭐️Alumni Spotlight⭐️

Today we are celebrating Kara Sweeney, a 2019 coros member. Kara taught at Kealakehe High School on the Hawai‘i Island for three years, staying past her two year commitment. She continues to be active in education in San Diego where she lives now. Mahalo Kara for your commitment to education!

Exciting news! We're gearing up for Movers and Shakas spring cohort and would love to showcase the incredible experiences of Vinh and Kat from their Fall cohort. Vinh and Kat are TFA Hawaii Alumni and we are so proud of them!

If you're a TFA Hawaii alumni, we invite you to apply to be part of Movers and Shakas upcoming spring cohort! Click the link below to read about Vinh and Kat's experiences and access the interest form. This opportunity is exclusively open to TFA Hawaii alumni.

https://forms.gle/3gyZRZGWEFyKyYPH7

Calling all TFA Hawai’i Alumni!!

Please check out this awesome opportunity with Movers and Shakas! More information in the link in our bio!

✨ Breaking News! 🌟

First Hawaiian Bank Employees Illuminate the Future with a Generous $9,493 Donation to Teach for America Hawaiʻi! 🌺📚

This heartwarming contribution is set to ignite a literary revolution, expanding early literacy initiatives for the bright minds of Leeward Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island students. 🚀💙

Let’s join hands in celebrating the power of education and the magic that happens when community champions come together! 🤝🎉

Unleash the Teacher Leader in You! Exciting News: Our Teacher Leadership Mini Summit is here! Calling all educators, TFA and beyond, to dive into virtual lightning sessions on key aspects of leadership development. Join the movement and let’s reshape the future of education together!

Calling all Alumni and Current Corps Members! Do you need a summer internship? Check out these great offerings from Environmental Excelerator! Apply by Monday February 5th to take advantage of this opportunity.

Applications are now open for EDICT 2024 summer internships!

Our internship program EDICT (Empowering Diverse Climate Talent) is partnering with 67 employers from all corners of climate innovation — for-profits, nonprofits, funders and government organizations — to offer more than 100 climate internships across the U.S. These opportunities range from technical engineering to business operations to marketing — there’s something for all skillsets. Not to mention, they’re: Paid
Flexible: in-person, hybrid or remote

Open to undergrads, grad students and recent grads across all majors
The EDICT Internship Program is an immersive program running June 10 through August 16 designed to help traditionally excluded, aspiring climate professionals:
Gain experience at climate organizations
Grow alongside a cohort of diverse peers
Foster professional networks in the climate sector

Get started!
Learn more and apply by February 5
Key dates, FAQs and more at the following link:

https://elementalexcelerator.com/edict-internship-program/interns/

The LEE Policy and Advocacy Summer Fellowship (PASF) application closes next week on Wednesday January 31. If you are interested please apply. For more information attend PASF Office Hours, Thu, Jan 25.

Application Link : https://lee.smapply.us/prog/2024_policy_advocacy_summer_fellowship_application_/

This week, we are highlighting Lauren Berray, a 2021 TFA corps member.

After entering TFA alumnihood and graduating with her Master’s from Johns Hopkins University, Lauren decided to continue to teach FSC at her placement school. Inspired by her students, she has begun a Master’s level certificate focusing on autism and severe learning disabilities. Lauren, you are an all star! Mahalo for your service!

Mahalo to our Kamaʻāina and Kanaka Maoli TFA Hawaiʻi alumni, current corps, incoming corps, Ignite applicants, and community selectors for joining us Monday night to build pilina and talk education equity for Hawaiʻi!

Mahalo for the amazing meal!

Wishing you all a delightful holiday season filled with joy, laughter, and well-deserved rest. To our dedicated educators, may your winter break be a time of rejuvenation and inspiration. Happy Holidays from Teach for America Hawai‘i!

Back with our last Alumni Spotlight of 2023!!

Join us in applauding the remarkable journey of Aly Decolati! As a dedicated Teach For America Corps Member, Aly contributed her passion and expertise to shaping young minds as a 4th-grade teacher at Konawaena Middle School. Recently, she transitioned to Los Angeles and has assumed the role of Manager at McMaster-Carr, bringing her skills to new heights. Aly continues to make a positive impact by actively contributing to the TFA Los Angeles Corps. Cheers to Aly!