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community members served in Ka Lama Education Academy

Growing Our Own Teachers since 1995

Ka Lama Education Academy supports community members in their pursuit to become high-quality teachers in their home communities through college support, mentorship and professional training.

Upcoming Ka Lama Events

Ka Lama Education Academy (Ka Lama) empowers Native Hawaiian community members to become teachers in their own communities. Research shows that teacher quality and cultural competence make a big difference in student education outcomes, and this is especially true in indigenous populations and communities of color. Ka Lama focuses on recruiting, supporting, and retaining Native Hawaiian educators by providing year-round support and incentives to individuals seeking to build a career in education and in-service teachers.

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individuals, from hard to place communities, were supported in their goals to become a teacher or improve their teaching skills (73% Native Hawaiian) in 2019-20
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community members were enrolled in college and working toward a degree in Education in 2019-20
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education degrees or certificates attained by 37 current and aspiring teachers in 2019-20 for a potential $15,641,760 twenty-year projected social return on investment
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of the teachers who engaged in cultural learning workshops demonstrated an increase in cultural approaches, strategies, and techniques in 2019-20

Ka Lama aims to build diversity in the teaching profession to address the cultural mismatch between teachers and students. Creating a diverse group of teachers in all schools is a crucial step in ensuring all children have role models they can identify with on a cultural level. Ka Lama empowers  teachers in increasing their credentials and gaining techniques and strategies to effectively reach and teach students in marginalized, rural communities with high Native Hawaiian student populations equipping them to deliver community-conscious curriculum.

Ka Lama services include:

“If it weren’t for INPEACE-Ka Lama, I would not have returned to complete my education goals and would not have an understanding of the options to support me in reaching my goal to become a kumu (teacher)! I have one more semester to finish my Bachelor in Hawaiian Studies and am pursuing a Master of Education at UHM! My coach has been an angel to me.”
- Kapu Salanoa
Community Member, Senior at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, pursuing a Master in Education

Ka Lama Education Academy Staff

Francine Medeiros

Program Director

Kau‘inohea Peneku

Program Assistant

Donna Camvel

Education System Specialist

Kapela Eli

Education / Curriculum

Specialist

Mark Pinho

STEM Specialist

Kamakani Palakiko

Educational Pathway Coach

Shaina Raelyn Caspino

Educational Pathway Coach

Natashya Nihipali

Educational Pathway Coach

Jaundi Asinsin

Community Schools Coordinator

Jayna Rivera

Community Schools Coordinator

INPEACE Is Funded Through Personal Donations From People Like You.

INPEACE is a nonprofit organization that relies heavily on grants to fund programs and services that strengthen, support, educate and empower our communities. Through donations, we are able to keep our programs free while providing an incredible asset to our community.