Community Giving & Support

From financial contributions to community engagement to individual messages, we are so grateful to our community for their expressions of support for Namahana’s mission and vision.

Mahalo to our incredible donors!

The generosity of our donors plays a critical role in making Namahana School a reality. Each donation is instrumental in shaping the future of Namahana School. So far, our pioneering donors have enabled us to fund essential pre-opening expenses, acquire a permanent home for Namahana School, and develop an innovative educational model. Their contributions continue to help us attract highly qualified volunteers and staff, provide operational support and create a nurturing environment. The benevolence of our donors has the capacity to transforms the lives of individual students and impact the broader community. Their commitment to education empowers us to inspire and cultivate the next generation of leaders. We are immensely grateful for the role that donors play in making the Namahana School dream come true, and we recognize their invaluable contribution to shaping a brighter future for our students.

Namahana School Donors

Donor names are listed in alphabetical order

*Anonymous Donors (37)

A.J. & Carey Sutton, in honor of Leora and Mile

Al & Diana Albergate

Alan Gevins & Isabel Sam Vargas

Alice Bell

Alice Luck

Andrea Gootnick

Anna Gertraud Torggler

Beth & Jon Champlin

Betsy Skinner

Bill & Lucinda Robertson

Carolyn Lauro

Catherine Scott & Ruth Osterhout

Cheryl & Bill Jensen

Christ Memorial Church

Craig & Trisha Devereaux

Conrad & Karen Schmidt

Corina & Ruddman Davis

David Lemon

Dave Williams

David & Sarah Goodale

David W. Knickel & Jennifer L. Knickel

Debbie Schenker & Skip White

Denise Kaufman

Don & Laura McConnell

Dr. & Mrs. Richard Goodale

Dr. Lee Putnam

Employee Leasing Company

Erik Hanson

Evelyn Brodie

Flavia & Nick Wright

Gary & Bebe Smith

Gina Lobaco

Grace Groom

Greg & Alice Greenwood

Gretchen Imdieke, ND

Hanalei Hawaiian Civic Club

Hulali

Ian & Melissa Nelson

Janet Ramatici

Jason & Winona Sutton

Jean Frances Flaherty

Jeremy Burns

Jeff & Barbara Goodman

Jill & Sean McAlister

Jim & Debbie Oliver

Jim & Harvest Edmonds

Jim & Lisle Stigler

Jim & Mary Luck

Joan Maas

Joan Porter

Johanna Ventura

John E. McGowan

Joseph Hughes

Jonathan McRoberts

Jones ʻOhana

Joy Brahmst & Lynn Christensen

Joyce Kehoe Smith

Ka ʻOhana Rogers

Kathy Nelson

Kauaʻi Albatross Network

North Shore Give (KNSCF)

Kauaʻi North Shore Lions Foundation

Kaye & Mike Hurtt

Kīlauea Japanese Association

Kimber Family

Laird Hamilton

Leona

Living in Process Network

Lorraine & Thomas Mull

Lorrie Meyercord

Lorrie Meyercord & Neil Dana

Luna Dana

Manu Nahenahe Trust

Marianne Remmy

Marion Paul

Mary Paterson Trust

McAlister Family

Mehana Blaich-Vaughan

Melanie & Scott Parker

Michael Olman & Peter Hayashida

Michele Cagle

Mike & Erica Oliver

Mike Kaplan & Rose Contreras

Mimsy Bouret

Mokihana Pest Control, Inc.

Nate Carden & Beth Woods

Pam Murphy & Jack Edgehill

Pancho Graham

Pete Sidley

P. Phillips

Pure Kauaʻi

Rex & Pamela Burrell

Richard Qualsett

Rick & Amy Marvin ʻOhana

Robert Abell

Rob & Sandy Baker

Rose Hayes

Rosemary Vali

S.W. Wilcox Trust

Sarah A. Dinger

Sarah McIntyre

Sean Ahearn

Skye Dana

Steve Milter

Steve & Janine Hunt (Hunt Family Foundation)

Steve Doberstein & Elizabeth Letcher

Susie Bunt

The Eckert/Van Way Family

The Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay

Thomas Daubert

Todd & Michele Rundgren

Tomlinson Foundation

Turi Widsteen & Keith White

Victor Zue & Stephanie Seneff

Waldorf Family Fund

Walter & Marcia Kortschak

* If you anonymously donated to Namahana School and would like to change your donor recognition preference, please call or email us to let us know.

Support from Mayor Derek Kawakami

Quote from County of Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami and his 2022 video testimony before the Hawaiʻi State Charter Commission in support of Namahana School’s application:

“I am an enthusiastic supporter of Namahana School and the diverse learning opportunities it brings to our students who will gain the skills to empower themselves to actively contribute to a resilient future on Kauaʻi.”

  • "Namahana School is evolving to fulfill its promise for the ‘ohana of our North Shore communities, and I believe this remarkable opportunity has appeared in part because we are now ready for it."

    Dr. Mehana Vaughn, Namahana School Governing Board Member

  • “We know the challenges faced by north shore families, having to send their children to middle and high schools quite far from their homes. The idea of the charter school is something that we had hoped would one day be a reality, and wanted to help in any way possible.”

    Anonymous Donors

  • “The creation of a middle and high school for local children on the North Shore has long been a need in our community. There is so much about this project that excites and inspires me, both as a Kīlauea resident and a parent of two young children. I think the team that has been assembled to build Namahana is exceptional and I look forward to supporting their efforts to elevate educational opportunities available for our keiki.”

    Līhau Paik, Kīlauea Resident

  • “We’ve been watching closely from the beginning as this inspiring project has evolved, and we know just how much it will lift up our community. Having an accessible middle and high school for local children is a goal that has mobilized North Shore families for years, and we believe that Namahana has the perfect team to make it happen.”

    Mike Kaplan & Rose Contreras, Namahana Donors & Kīlauea Residents

Mahalo to our amazing community who have been part of Namahana’s vision from the very beginning.

There were many community members and volunteers who took part in Namahana’s initial community engagement, outreach and due-diligence. From 2019-2020, we conducted 1:1 meetings with community leaders, including teachers, students, kūpuna (elders), cultural advisors, and local nonprofits. We also hosted five Listening Sessions in Kīlauea, Hanalei, Hāʻena and two Student Listening Sessions at Kīlauea and Hanalei elementary school​s to gather feedback. Participation at these various sessions helped us hone in on our shared values and vision of the type of school experience we, as a community, want for our keiki (children). The support from our community drives the dream of Namahana School forward— we are so grateful to each person who has given their time, energy and aloha to this initiative!

 Family names listed in alphabetical order

Fendentz

Fleming

Fonseca

Forgey

Forrest

Frazer

Fu

Funaro

Heen

Herington

Herring

Hermstad

Gerding

Giorgio

Gochros

Gomez

Goodman

Goodwin

Gottfried

Grooms

Gross

Guerrero

Guilbault

Guy

Hadley

Ham Young

Haneberg

Harada

Harburg

Hayden

Hedstrom

Hicks

Inanod

Joyner

Jones

Kaleiohi

Kanehe

Kaʻaumoana

Keefer

King

Kissida 

Kiyak-Boughton

Champlin

Chandler

Cherry

Chung

Concepcion

Connors

Cornell

Correa

Covan

Cowden

Crisler

Cullen

Davies

Davis

Debonet

Dinenberg

Distefano

Drolson

Dunford

Edmonds 

Fatupo

Adams

Anderson

Andrews

Audo-Beliov

Augerot

Avilla

Baker

Bartholomew

Bayless

Belz

Blaich

Bowen

Brahmst

Bresnahan

Brown

Butker

Cadiz

Calig

 Carril

Carlson

Catley

Mersberg

Miller

Molina

Nagendra

Nakazawa

Nebre

Nelson

Obrien

Olanolan

Oliver

Padilla

Paik

Paterson

Patrizio

Paul

Petchu

Potter

Prieto

Randall

Repetto

Reid 

Kocak

Krovoza

Lamore

Lantagne

Lathrop

Laughlin

Layaoen

L’Hote

Lindman

Listman

Lowry

Low

Malandruccolo

Marston

Martin

Marvin

Massey

McCarthy

McHugh

McRoberts

Medeiros

Torio

Tranbarger

Vastola

Vesely

Waipa

Wann

Whitfield

Willis

Wong

Woodward

Worley

Wright

Yokotake

Young

Zabek

Zimmerman

Zietz

Rider

Rodger

Roversi

Rowan

Ruck

Sausen

Schwartz

Seals

Shaw

Shea

Sitzler

Smith

Spellman

Sproat

Squire

Steed

Stein

Stewart

Takahashi

Tay

Thayer