Each day we see the realities of educational inequity juxtaposed against the concrete evidencethat when students in low-income communitiesare given opportunities they deserve, they excel.

Hawai'i

"The kinds of ‘high-expectations’ people who are attracted to Teach for America are precisely
the kind of teachers we need in Hawai'i. I also view the alumni of Teach For America as a pipeline for leadership inside and outside of education in Hawai'i."

-- H. Mitchell D'Olier, President and CEO, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation.

Teach For America • Hawai‘i is playing a critical role in improving schools and communities. This year, a corps of more than 120 of the nation’s top recent college graduates is working in underserved schools across Hawai‘i to ensure that students facing the challenges of poverty are given the educational opportunities they deserve. Our alumni are leaders in the classroom, in education more broadly, and across all sectors. Together, they are making educational equity a reality in Hawai‘i. Learn about living and teaching in Hawai'i.

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Press

Recent press releases

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Recent press coverage

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Corps Impact

During the 2009-10 school year, more than 120 corps members are directly impacting the lives of approximately 9,000 students in Hawai‘i. Liz Lewis and Emily Magee are two examples of the tremendous difference our corps members are making.

Liz Lewis (Hawai‘i Corps '06)
Undergraduate Institution: Louisiana State University
Major: Psychology

Emily Magee (Hawai‘i Corps '06)
Undergraduate Institution: University of Virginia
Major: Psychology

Liz Lewis and Emily Magee teach eighth grade mathematics at Waianae Intermediate in the Leeward Complex Area. Liz and Emily collaborated to design an ambitious new curriculum map for their department, focusing on new assessments, lessons, and long-term plans that were both rigorous and aligned with state standards. Their hard work and relentless dedication to their students paid off. They helped to more than double Waianae Intermediate’s school-wide math scores on the Hawai'i State Assessment. Liz and Emily’s success is representative of the impact that our movement is having in schools across Hawai‘i.

Principal Satisfaction

  • 94 percent of recently-surveyed Hawai‘i principals (in schools with Teach For America corps members) reported that they would hire another Teach For America teacher.
  • 100 percent of principals surveyed regard Teach For America teachers as effective as, if not more effective than, other beginning teachers in terms of overall performance and impact on student achievement.*

*"Teach For America 2009 National Principal Survey,” Policy Studies Associates, July 2009.

Impact on Student Achievement

A growing body of research shows that corps members have a positive impact on their students' achievement. Read more about our impact.

Hawai‘i: Corps Member Placement

Assignment % of Corps*
Pre-K, Kindergarten 3%
Elementary School, Lower (1-2) 5%
Elementary School, Upper (3-5) 8%
Secondary Math 24%
Secondary English 35%
Secondary Science 8%
Secondary Social Studies 8%
Secondary Other 8%
Special Education 11%

*Percentages are rounded and do not add up to 100 percent; corps members who teach bilingual, ESL, or special education are also accounted for in the grade-level/subject placement percentages

Characteristics of the 2009 Corps

Corps Profile
Average GPA: 3.6
Average SAT: 1344
Held leadership roles on campus: 89%
People of color: 30%

*Percentage of senior classes who applied to Teach For America

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Alumni Impact

Fostering Alumni Leadership for Systemic Change
As the number of corps members grows, so does our alumni base. By 2010, we will hope to have over 200 Teach For America • Hawai‘i alumni pursuing professional careers and impacting educational reform from every sector.

  • Nationally, more than 60 percent of corps members continue to work in education,
    including more than 360 who are school leaders.
  • 93 percent of all alumni report they are supporting Teach For America’s mission
    through their career, volunteer activity or graduate study.

Steve Schatz (Los Angeles Corps '94)
Undergraduate Institution: University of California-Santa Cruz
Major: Political Science

Andrew Michaels (Hawai‘i Corps '06)
Undergraduate Institution: Stanford University
Major: Political Science

Steve Schatz and Andrew Michaels represent just two of our influential alumni. Steve is the principal of Pohakea Elementary School, which was recently named one of the top five most-improved public schools in Hawai‘i. Andrew is part of our first-ever alumni class, and like 24 of his fellow alumni, he chose to remain in the classroom. He is the Medical Science & Biotechnology Career Pathways leader at Waipahu High School. Andrew also serves as an AmeriCorps Change Agent, working to identify Hawai‘i’s problems and helping public servants address them. Andrew and Steve exemplify the impact our alumni continue to have in Hawai‘i.

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Hawai‘i Supporters

We are grateful to have many supporters who generously contribute to our movement in Hawai‘i. The foundations, corporations and individuals listed below have made it possible for Teach For America to continue to recruit, select, train, and support teachers who are working to eliminate educational inequity in our city.

Advisory Board
Mitch D’Olier (Chair)
President and CEO
Harold K. L. Castle Foundation
Jeff Arce
Partner and Chief Financial Officer
The Mac Naughton Group
Peter Ho
President
Bank of Hawai‘i
Donald Horner
President and Chief Executive Officer
First Hawaiian Bank
Bryan K. Luke
Vice President
Hawai‘i National Bank
Dee Jay Mailer
Chief Executive Officer
Kamehameha Schools
Lawrence Stupski
Chairman
Stupski Foundation
David Carey
President and Chief Executive Officer
Outrigger Enterprises Inc.

Corporate, Foundation and Public Support

$200,000 - $499,999

Harold K. L. Castle Foundation
 

$100,000 - $199,999

Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Hawai‘i Department of Education
Kamehameha Schools
McInerny Foundation
Office of Hawaiian Affairs

$50,000 - $99,999

First Hawaiian Bank
Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation

$20,000 - $49,999

Atherton Family Foundation
G.N. Wilcox Trust
Kamaile Public Charter School

$10,000 - $19,999

A&B Foundation
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
Island Insurance Company
The MacNaughton Group
Na Lei Aloha Foundation
Royal Contracting Co., Ltd.

$5,000 - $9,999

First Insurance Company of Hawai‘i
Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn & Stifel LLP
Hawai‘i National Bank
Oceanic Time Warner Cable
Outrigger Enterprises Inc.
Keoki's Lau Lau

Individuals
Individuals and families support Teach For America by attending a special event or by participating in our Sponsor A Teacher program. Sponsors provide critical annual leadership support of $5,000 or more to help us recruit, select, train and support corps members in Hawai‘i schools profoundly affected by the achievement gap. Our generous sponsors are denoted by *

$100,000 and up

Lawrence and Joyce Stupski

$25,000 - $49,999

Kosasa Family Fund
Anonymous
Anonymous

$10,000 - $24,999

Barney Schauble
James & Priscilla Growney
Marti Steele

$5,000 - $9,999

Bryan K. Luke
Easton Manson
Hung Wo & Elizabeth Lau Ching Foundation
KJ Luke Foundation
Mitch D’Olier
Peter & Michelle Ho
Watumull Family Fund
Colin Fritz
Chock Family
C. Scott Wo

$1,000 - $2,499

BJ Kobayashi
David Carey
Dee Jay Mailer
Don Horner
Gary & Mary Kondo
Jeff Arce
Jeff Dinsmore
Miles & JoAnn Baidack
Sharon McPhee

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Contact Us

To support Teach For America • Hawai‘i with a gift or to request additional information about our impact or finances, please contact:

Teach For America • Hawai‘i
Jill Baldemor, Executive Director
500 Ala Moana Blvd Suite 2-410
Honolulu, HI 96813
p 808-521-1371, ext. 2204
f 808-538-3793
jill.baldemor@teachforamerica.org

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Executive Director

Jill BaldemorJill is an alumna of Teach For America and taught second grade in Washington Heights, New York City for two years as a 1995 corps member. Previous to joining staff, Jill practiced law at Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, LLP, for seven years. Born and raised in Honolulu, she holds master's and bachelor's degrees from Northwestern University and a JD from the University of Washington School of Law.

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