2024 Neʻepapa Awards

“Angel Naea has strived to give back to her community through community health work and now furthering her education in Emergency Medical technician. Angel Naea is a Mother of 4 who continues to seek ways to make the aina, the communities of Oahu better. Whether it’s giving back to the Keiki, volunteering in Worship Ministry for almost 10 years, raising her kids to be respectful to our island and more. Angel is committed to make Hawaiʻi a better place for generations to come.”

“In her role as the Staff Council Chair, Cheryl Miyahara has consistently supported and elevated colleagues in ʻAha Kalāualani for important governance matters. Cheryl’s leadership and support of ʻAha Kalāualani was particularly important this year as there were leadership changes among the AGOs in the midst of important governance decisions. Cheryl’s role as a clerical employee might not provide an obvious connection to Kapi‘olani’s commitment to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi, but she does so nonetheless. She embodies the value of relationships built on an honest exchange with others and listens intently to concerns raised by students and staff alike. She is also a wonderful and solid supporter of campus initiatives, including those promoting Native Hawaiian student success. You can count on Cheryl to show up and participate, which is paramount as we have tried to offer more opportunities with this goal in mind to the campus.”

“Amy has a strong sense of Kuleana, investing time in creating meaningful curricula and learning experiences that perpetuate Native Hawaiian ancestral knowledge and ways of knowing. One example is her dedication and effort in transforming her classroom and the student experience through living Kaʻao: A Framework for Transformation, including participating in faculty professional development. She has shared with me how she witnessed students transform based on the Ka’ao framework and the related learning opportunities she has created in her Front Office Management class. Mālama and Kūloa’a come naturally to Amy. Amy makes herself available to students meeting with them for extra tutoring sessions or extending her time available after class sessions. Having a good understanding of our student population, she has successfully advocated for more food options on campus, ensuring that students’ needs are met beyond academic support. She has rallied the department together to kokua with campus events such as helping prepare pancakes for the pancake breakfast, participating in the I Heart Kapiʻolani CC, or commencement, to name a few.”

“Denise Pierson fulfills her kuleana to the people of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiians, and Hawaiʻi not just in her professional role at Kapiʻolani CC, but as a valued community member who strives to help others, serve those in need, and give back generously to all those around her. As the Service & Sustainability Learning Coordinator, Denise fosters an incredible program that helps countless community organizations stay alive and fulfill their organization goals. Her line of work also supports the countless native Hawaiians who participate with her program, and encourages many Hawaiian practices of aina and sustainability. Outside of work, Denise also is very diligent in her commitment to the community. She devotes much of her personal time to different community organizations that serve people in need (such as the AAUW, Susannah Wesely Community Center, Hawaii United Methodist Church).”

“Linda’s dedication to Kapiʻolani CC over seven years demonstrates her commitment to serving the institution. By stepping up during staff shortages and guiding the department when needed, Linda shows a strong sense of kuleana, or responsibility, to both KapCC and its mission to serve Native Hawaiian and local community. Her support in various HR processes ensures that the college can better serve its diverse student body, including Native Hawaiians, by providing efficient and effective HR support. Linda’s work exemplifies excellence in several areas outlined in the Strategic Plan 2023-2029. Firstly, her willingness to assist the department during staff shortages showcases her commitment to collaboration and teamwork, which is a key aspect of the plan’s goal to foster a supportive and inclusive environment. Secondly, her proactive approach to creating guides, conducting training, and managing HR quarterly meetings demonstrates her dedication to continuous improvement and innovation, aligning with the plan’s objectives to enhance organizational effectiveness and efficiency which creates thriving and sustainable campus culture.”

“As a front-line person in the nursing department, student, faculty and staff needs are being met by Renee’s daily presence in the department to address inquiries in person or by phone. Renee wholeheartedly supports the nursing department and the college and this in turn supports interested and existing students in their path to success. Renee is kind and thorough in all her responses resulting in improved outcomes for all those she encounters. Renee’s positive behavior supports Na Alahele of a Thriving and Sustainable Campus Culture and Student Success as described above. Her daily presence providing information to those in need and thoroughly and accurately supporting college processes for nursing programs and students fully support the college’s dynamic Strategic Plan. “

“In 2019, Frances created the Zumba Wellness Program, and welcomed all Kapiʻolani CC faculty, staff, students, and administrators to participate, as well as community members across the state of Hawaiʻi. She started this program because she strongly believes that everyone deserves access to self-care practices that enhance overall well-being, delivered through enjoyable and interactive movements. In each Zumba session, as Frances leads invigorating routines, she educates participants about the physical, mental, and social-emotional health benefits of Zumba. She also emphasizes the importance of safety protocols, injury prevention measures, and correct posture techniques. Whether conducted in-person or virtually, Frances effortlessly cultivates an inclusive environment that fosters a sense of belonging, connection, and community among all participants. To initiate this, Frances collaborated with the College’s Kūpuna Education Center and the Ka‘au Program for Student Mental Health & Wellness to ensure that she was also including our kūpuna and our students. All of the Frances’ Zumba sessions were open and free to all. When pandemic restrictions limited in-person activities on campus, Frances then partnered with the St. Francis Healthcare System’s Caregivers Wellness Program to offer virtual Zumba sessions, extending access to participants across neighboring islands, as well as the continent. Frances generously donated her time to ensure that cost was not a barrier for anyone, continuing to offer these wellness sessions 4 times a week free of charge.”

“Nadine regularly engages – and encourages her colleagues to engage – in culturally-based pilina-building and professional development opportunities at our campus, including, but certainly not limited to Kīpaipai Aloha sessions, māla work days, and Hoʻōla events. She was responsible for the addition of our in-person Friday Field Day to Kapi‘olani Summer Camp the past two years, reserving us a space at Kapua (Kaimana Beach Park), and coordinating culturally-focused events, like Mahi’s Niu Mea Nui and Palakiko’s net-throwing session. She has also served as a facilitator in our Title III-funded collaborative professional development program with Chaminade, the ALOHA E Institute, for the past three years and will be facilitating again this summer. Nadine is engaged in a Title III funded, year-long professional development program at Kapi‘olani CC focused on the Ka‘ao transformational framework. Nadine also completed another Title III funded, year-long professional development program facilitated by Honolulu CC, E Ho‘i Nā Wai. Nadine has a sincere desire to not only learn more about Hawaiian culture, history, values, and pedagogical frameworks, but she thoughtfully integrates this new knowledge into her teaching. She seamlessly integrates Hawaiian culture and references to our ‘āina with mathematics, teaching students about the meaning of place names and sharing mo‘olelo while having them calculate the slop of Lēʻahi or employing trigonometric functions in the analysis of ocean waves. She contextualizes mathematics in topics like celestial navigation and voyaging. This short video created by Rokki Midro allows you to hear in Nadine’s own words about her motivations for engaging in this year-long journey, and what it has meant to her: https://bit.ly/nadine_ehoinawai Nadine was invited to speak at the E Ho‘i Nā Wai kīhei ceremony for this year’s papa and shared how, even outside of the classroom, she has implemented what she learned in the program in her personal life and in her role as department chair, sharing insights about the moon phases and their implications for colleagues in her unit (i.e., this is a great time to start a project or this is a good time to focus on rest). Nadine has also audited an ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi course and is continuously working to expand her vocabulary and language skills and to integrate keywords, phrases and meanings into her communications with colleagues.”

“Li-Anne Delavega has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to fulfilling her kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi through her dedicated and amazing work as the Undergraduate Research Experiences (URE) Coordinator at our campus. Throughout her tenure, Li-Anne has been instrumental in spearheading and supporting various initiatives aimed at empowering indigenous students and advancing indigenous scholarship. One significant way in which Li-Anne fulfills her kuleana is through her leadership in indigenous-focused projects, such as the bi-annual Student Undergraduate Research Fair. This event provides a platform for students to showcase their indigenous research and creative projects, fostering a sense of pride and accomplishment within the Native Hawaiian community. This year, they featured 150 presentations, 240 student presenters, and 20 research faculty across various disciplines such as philosophy, English, sustainability, and STEM. Li-Anne was recently featured on KITV (https://go.hawaii.edu/FKJ) sharing more about the Undergraduate Research Experience Program. Her efforts in organizing and coordinating this event every semester have helped amplify indigenous voices and perspectives in academic spaces, contributing to the promotion and preservation of indigenous knowledge and culture. Furthermore, Li-Anne’s contributions to the Kaʻao Faculty Institute underscore her commitment to supporting scholars and educators. This Institute program is part of the Title III grant, “Kūlia: Advancing Indigenous Scholars for Success” to improve Native Hawaiian student re-enrollment and academic achievement. This project embodies the spirit of the College value kūlia, creating meaningful curricula and learning experiences that serve as a foundation for all to stand and move forward. Kūlia: Advancing Indigenous Scholars for Success is rooted in the motto of Queen Kapi‘olani, “to strive to reach the highest.” This project directly benefits the growing population of Native Hawaiian (NH) students by incorporating the Ka‘ao Transformation Framework for faculty to indigenize student engagement and learning by creating an authentic meaningful curriculum and by providing academic peer coaching and tutoring support. Li-Anne’s involvement in this initiative demonstrates her dedication to nurturing indigenous talent and fostering a more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment for all students. Beyond her specific roles and responsibilities, Li-Anne embodies the principles of aloha ʻāina and mālama ʻāina in her everyday actions. She actively seeks opportunities to integrate indigenous perspectives into her work and advocates for practices that promote indigenous rights and sovereignty. Whether through her mentorship of indigenous students or her collaboration with community partners, Li-Anne consistently prioritizes the well-being and empowerment of Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi.”