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Feb. 4, 2026
Editorial Mission: As the Department's primary publication, we aim to live up to the meaning of ha‘aheo – to cherish with pride – by bolstering and sustaining pride in public education and touting the successes happening across our system.
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Aloha, HIDOE Community –
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Ho‘oha‘aheo Newsletter.
Hawai‘i Secondary Student Conference
This week, over 165 students represented every single high school statewide in the Hawai'i Secondary Student Conference held at Ala Moana Hotel and the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. Students learned about the legislative process, how to write testimony, how to do research on bills, practiced their debate skills and met with the lawmakers representing their district. Each year, I'm always inspired to hear from our student leaders about what issues they care most about. Opportunities like these allow our students to be with like-minded peers who are ready to discuss educational issues, share perspectives and advocate for meaningful change for Hawai‘i public schools.
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Attendees of the Hawai‘i Secondary Student Conference visited the Hawai‘i State Capitol on Feb. 2. Photo credit: Chanel Horie / HIDOE Communications Branch
FIRST LEGO League state championship
Over the weekend, I had the chance to attend the FIRST LEGO League State Championships at McKinley High School, and it was such a great experience. Students competed in both FIRST LEGO League Explore (Grades 2–4) and FIRST LEGO League Challenge (Grades 4–8), and every school did an amazing job across the board. Huge congratulations to the robotics team from Salt Lake Elementary for earning an invitation to the 2026 FIRST Championships in Texas; Mililani Middle will be competing in the 2026 Western Edge National Invitational in California; Waihe‘e Elementary will be competing in the 2026 FIRST LEGO League WPI Invitational; and Holomua Elementary was invited to the 2026 FIRST LEGO League Korea Invitational. What an incredible effort from all of our teams! See a full list of winners.
Robotics students from Pearl City Highlands Elementary compete in the FIRST LEGO League state championships at McKinley High School on Jan. 31. Photo credit: Superintendent Keith Hayashi
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H.P. Baldwin High School celebrated the grand opening of its new Student Operated Credit Union (SOCU) on Jan. 21. The SOCU gives students hands-on experience with financial literacy while practicing real-world skills like handling cash, helping customers and learning how a business runs. At the SOCU, members can open accounts, make deposits and manage their money. The SOCU is back after a 20-year hiatus and is powered by the Hawai‘iUSA Federal Credit Union. It’s located in the Bear Cave in the Transition Room and is open to all students and staff on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 1:15-3:15 p.m.
Credit: Edward Garcia / ʻĪao Intermediate School
Send us your public school-related image from this school year for a chance to be featured as next week’s Ho‘oha‘aheo Photo of the Week!
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Jesse Sapolu is a four-time Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers and a co-founder of both the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame and the Polynesian Bowl, which honor the impact of Pacific Islander players on the sport. Sapolu is also a proud 1979 graduate of which Hawai‘i public school?
a. Kahuku High & Intermediate
b. Campbell High School
c. Kaiser High School
d. Farrington High School
Find the answer at the end of this newsletter.
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Pearl City Highlands Elementary School: Big shoutout to our latest Student Leaders of the Month! 🏆 These superstars are mastering the art of balance and kindness by practicing Habits 3 and 4. We are so proud of the culture of excellence and empathy you’re building! The celebration doesn’t stop there: 🥇 Class of the Quarter: A massive congratulations to Mrs. Hirayama’s class! 🙌 Leadership in Action: Thank you to Mrs. Talaro’s class for leading the school in our Habit motions! Your energy helps us all stay on track.
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‘Aiea Intermediate School: Our weightlifting club took over Powerhouse Gym this weekend! 🏋️♂️ Great atmosphere and even better opportunity to connect with our community. Thanks for having us, and thanks to Mr. Tunick, Mr. Bumanglang, and Mr. Crowell for bringing the students out!
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Maui High School: Our AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) program spent a few days on O‘ahu visiting colleges. AVID is designed to prepare students to meet the requirements for admission to four-year colleges and universities at the end of high school. AVID provides a four-year support program through enrollment in a mandatory elective AVID class. AVID’s mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.
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Use the #HIPublicSchoolsProud hashtag for a chance to be featured!
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Assistant Superintendent of Office of Campus Operations and Support Sean Tajima stopped by the Wake Up 2Day studio to share how the Department’s new regional kitchen will help provide healthier meals for students and create more jobs. The regional kitchen is a centralized facility where meals will be prepared in bulk and distributed to schools for final serving.
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Kealakehe Elementary School held a blessing for the construction of a $16 million classroom building that will expand learning space, better serve a growing student population, and physically connect the school’s upper and lower campuses. The new two story, 13,000 square foot building will add four classrooms, special education spaces, an outdoor classroom, covered learning lanai, faculty workroom, offices and storage.
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I can be the change (and so can you!)
By Caleb Saiki-Fabro, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
From left to right, students Kūlia Numazawa-Larnio, a ninth grader at Kanu O Ka ‘Aina Charter School, Tapu Hakaumotu, a 2025 Kaua‘i High graduate, and Caleb Saiki-Fabro, an eighth grader at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, were invited to attend a Kaua‘i County Council meeting on Jan. 7.
On Jan. 5th, I attended an advocacy training for Kaua‘i youth in grades 6th through college. The training was hosted by the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i and the Ho‘okele Coalition. The Ho‘okele Coalition focuses on keeping substances such as marijuana and alcohol out of the hands of youth and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i does the same thing but for tobacco and nicotine through education and policy change. Auntie Val from the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i led the training by sharing stories and showing examples of how youth can make a change in our community even though we are not old enough to vote or run for office. The training also featured two guest speakers: Ken Herman, the County of Kauai’s Liquor Control Investigator and Kaua‘i County Council Chair Mel Rapozo.
This training taught me that advocacy is about taking a cause that you believe in and how to get others to join to support your movement to create a positive change in your community. A couple ideas that were discussed in the training were movements such as ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, ending the sale of disposable vape products, and restoring county authority regarding the sales of tobacco products.
Something I found interesting at the training was learning about the proper procedures and protocols to make a policy change. There are many steps to complete but you start by having an idea, then develop and spread that idea by educating the community and strategically talking to people whose roles can make your idea a reality. The big picture was taking an idea and crafting it into something that will interest people to support your cause.
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Caleb Saiki-Fabro is an eighth grader at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. He participates in a number of youth programs, including the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i's Youth Council, Ho‘okele Coalition, Boys and Girls Club and Lili‘uokalani Trust. In his spare time, he plays soccer for Kaua‘i's BVB soccer club. He also enjoys volleyball, running, riding his bike and practicing the shot put. When he's at home, he likes to play Roblox BedWars while hanging out with his cat, Quarter.
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Anneliese Tanner
Title: School Food Program Administrator
Job site: Diamond Head Annex
Years in the HIDOE: < 1 year
Years in the position: < 1 year
Anneliese Tanner joined the Department last fall as School Food Services Administrator, overseeing statewide operations that provide over 100,000 student meals daily. A seasoned leader in K-12 food systems, she previously served as executive director of Food & Nutrition Services for Boston Public Schools and led school food operations for the Chef Ann Foundation and Austin Independent School District. Her experience spans large-scale operations, scratch cooking, local food sourcing, and innovative nutrition programs — all of which support our ongoing efforts to bring more locally grown ingredients to Hawai‘i school menus.
Q: Briefly describe your career path.
A: I started my career in finance and found that I wanted to have a different kind of legacy. So, I got my master’s in food systems with the goal of becoming a food service director in a large urban school district so that I would have education and volume to make change. Since then I have led Austin Independent School District and Boston Public Schools food service programs and worked with districts across the country to bring my scratch cooking and local procurement to schools.
Q: What are your primary duties?
A: My primary duties are to provide vision, direction and expertise to the School Food Services Branch, to set expectations and hold our team responsible for providing our students healthy, fresh meals that reflect the ‘āina.
Q: Fun fact about yourself?
A: To keep up my German language skills I usually take my peloton classes in German!
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- February: Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i
- February: Career and Technical Education Month
- February: Black History Month
- Feb. 2-6: National School Counseling Week
- Feb. 12 - Board of Education Student Achievement Committee, Human Resources Committee, General Business Meeting
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Feb. 16 - Presidents Day (Schools and offices closed)
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Grade 9-12 Spanish Teacher, Mililani High School (Oʻahu)
Account Clerk I, II, III, Office of Hawaiian Education (Oʻahu)
School Custodian II, Waimea High (Kaua‘i)
Cafeteria Helper, Lahaina Intermediate (Maui)
Early Learning Educational Assistant I, II, III, Hōnaunau Elementary (Hawai‘i Island)
HIDOE’s Office of Talent Management is hosting one-hour webinars to provide an overview of the application and hiring process. Visit each page for dates and registration information.
To learn more about career opportunities in the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, please visit hawaiischooljobs.com.
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Public School Pop Quiz! Answer: d. Farrington High School. Sapolu is a four-time Super Bowl champion (XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIV), was also a two-time Pro Bowl selection and the co-founder of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. He is still active with the Farrington High community and youth mentoring and training programs.
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This newsletter was produced by the Hawai'i State Department of Education's Communications Branch.
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Nanea Ching
Executive Editor
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Kimberly Yuen
Managing Editor
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Share your story ideas, events, questions and feedback to newsletter@k12.hi.us
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1390 Miller St. Honolulu, HI 96813 Phone: 808-784-6200
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