HANALEI — For four years Kaua‘i has been growing its own teachers through the generous support of the community. When the loss of teacher candidates in the Kaua‘i Community College elementary-education program became as predictable as clock-work, coordinator for the
HANALEI — For four years Kaua‘i has been growing its own teachers through the generous support of the community.
When the loss of teacher candidates in the Kaua‘i Community College elementary-education program became as predictable as clock-work, coordinator for the program, Dr. Kani Blackwell, took matters into her own hands by canvassing island Rotary Clubs for assistance.
“I’d have these wonderful local teacher candidates working full time and going to class full time. Come their last semester of student teaching they have to be in the classroom full time without pay. They couldn’t quit their jobs so my students were dropping out when they came to that stage,” she said.
So the lifelong teacher did a Powerpoint production describing her students’ plight — appealing for financial assistance for her teacher candidates during their student-teacher semester.
“Then Hanalei Bay Rotary President Sally Motta and Robert Dickstein set Growing Our Own Teachers as their project.”
That first year Cal Stanny of the Stanny Foundation offered to match up to $17,000 raised through fundraising. Hanalei Bay Rotary Club rose to the challenge. By December 2007 some 13 teacher candidates received $4,000 to help them through student teaching. In exchange for financial assistance, the now-certified teachers agree to teach in Kaua‘i schools for a minimum of three years.
“We aren’t just asking for handouts. All of my students complete the program. It’s a lifelong commitment giving back to the community through teaching,” she said.
Today Growing Our Own Teachers on Kaua‘i is its own nonprofit foundation with a board of directors. Independent of Rotary, it still does participate in Rotary fundraisers.
“We’ll go work for any organization if they are contributing to our program. We volunteer our time hoping they will give us a contribution,” Blackwell said.
As a University of Hawai‘i-Manoa program, Growing Our Own Teachers has been adopted on Maui and the Big Island.
“This is a program that serves statewide,” Blackwell said. “You can remain on Kaua‘i without relocating to O‘ahu.”
In existence since 2006, Growing Our Own Teachers on Kaua‘i has raised over $100,000 to date and awarded grants to 33 student-teachers — 26 of those recipients are now employed in Kaua‘i schools.
“With the state of our education system, as a board we think it’s important to have a base of teachers who won’t be leaving to go back to the Mainland,” said board president Bob Capwell. “It’s the student-teacher interaction that is critical for learning.”
“It’s a model — all it means is invest in your own,” added Blackwell. “It takes a community to support a teacher and the teacher in turn supports the community.”
For the first time since the program’s inception they are holding a public benefit concert featuring Makana and Matt Bolton June 26 at Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a silent auction from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Music is from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Tickets are $25 and available at the following outlets: Hanalei Music’s Strings & Things; Hawaiian Music kiosks, Princeville and Coconut Marketplace; Pono Market, Kapa‘a; Larry’s Music, Kapa‘a; Borders Books, Music and Video, Lihu‘e; Scotty’s Music, Kalaheo; The Wine Shop, Koloa; Brennecke’s Beach Broiler, Po‘ipu; Banana Patch Studio; Hanapepe; Wrangler’s Steak House, Waimea.
Visit growkauaiteacher.org. to learn more or to contribute.
