"The College of Education has definitely supported me in my pursuit to provide Native Hawaiian students with the necessary tools and resources for a successful school year."

Hometown

Kewalo Uka, Oʻahu

Department

Educational Administration

Related Degrees

• MEd, Educational Administration: Higher Ed

Current Position
I am currently an instructor and enrichment assistant for the Kamehameha Schools Hawaiian Cultural Based Education Department.  I have worked there for about three years during the summer and intersession programs.

What was your favorite part about the “Place, Community, and Higher Education” course?*
My favorite part of the “Place, Community, and Higher Education” course was the whole experience.  The entire course was centered around our keiki (children) and enhancing their college experience at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to inspire them to continue their educational endeavors.

Explain briefly the impact of the I Am College Bound experience.
My goal in life is to support and contribute to the future generations of Hawaiʻi. Our class did an exceptional job in planning the I Am College Bound event and making it all about the keiki and their experience at UH Mānoa.  I believe many of them were inspired to attend college and that made us very satisfied in planning this successful event.  It impacted all of our lives.

What is your philosophy of teaching?
“Ma ka hana ka ʻike” refers to “learning through doing,” and that is very much how I work in life.  It is wonderful to learn concepts and theoretical frameworks in the classroom, but without proper application of those theories in the field, one will not fully grasp the full embodiment of those theories and concepts.  My philosophy of teaching is teaching students through application and providing students with a more hands-on approach towards learning.

How has the COE helped you along your path in education/career?
The College of Education has definitely supported me in my pursuit to provide Native Hawaiian students with the necessary tools and resources for a successful school year.  Now, it has supported me in my search for a job in the higher education system to make this a reality.  In the future, I plan to come back to UH Mānoa to pursue a doctoral degree in curriculum studies or in educational leadership at the University of Southern California (Hawaiʻi Cohort).

*On May 1, 2014, 70 middle school students and three teachers from Waiʻanae came to campus for a full day of activities, workshops, and class visits. Graduate students in Toby Jenkins-Henry’s (see http://tinyurl.com/pbtcyw4) “Place, Community, and Higher Education” course conceptualized and planned the entire day. I Am College Bound was their final project.