KA‘I Programs (Kūkulu Alaka‘i ‘Iolani)
The mission of the ‘Iolani School KA‘I (Kūkulu Alakaʻi ʻIolani) Programs is to raise life outcomes for under-resourced students from Pālolo Valley by providing access to high-quality education programs and comprehensive, year-round support.
Since 2010, KA‘I has evolved into a strong community partnership between ‘Iolani School and Pālolo Valley, expanding to include the KA‘I Keiki Program, KA‘I Elementary Program, KA‘I Middle & High School Program, and KA‘I Postsecondary Program. Over the past 15 years, we have focused our resources on data-driven strategies that create lasting, lifelong, and generational impacts for our students and the community. These efforts have led to significant outcomes such as access to high-quality preschool education, long-term summer programs, personalized tutoring, high school graduation, and postsecondary education achievement. In our 15th year, we served 209 students from preschool through postsecondary education, all of whom are first-generation high school and/or postsecondary graduates.
KA‘I Keiki Program
A six-week early childhood education summer program in Pālolo Valley, serving children ages 3-7 from the Pālolo Public Housing (10th year)
KA‘I Middle and High School Program
A six-week, six-summer program at ʻIolani School, serving middle and high school students from Pālolo Valley (15th year)
KA‘I Elementary Program
A six-week, four-summer program at ʻIolani School, serving elementary students from Pālolo Valley (third year)
KA‘I Postsecondary Program
Academic counseling and full tuition gap scholarships to support KA‘I graduates to and through their postsecondary pathways (ninth year)
Goals
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To expand early childhood education and kindergarten readiness for Pālolo Homes children through a free, high-quality summer program and preschool enrollment support for families.
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To increase the high school graduation rate of under-resourced, first-generation students through a comprehensive academic enrichment summer program and ongoing year-round tutoring support.
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To improve life outcomes for KAʻI graduates by providing full tuition gap scholarships and intensive support to and through postsecondary education.
PROGRAM SPONSORS
We are incredibly grateful for the foundations and individuals who make our KA‘I Programs possible and enable us to provide these programs to our students for free:
- McInerny Foundation
- Honu‘apo
- Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation
- The Freeman Foundation
- Victoria S. and Bradley L. Geist Foundation
- The Healy Foundation
- ‘Iolani Alumni Association
- Coalition for Specialized Housing
- Harold K.L. Castle Foundation
- Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund
- The Atherton Family Foundation
- The Chamberlin Family Foundation
- The Fujieki Family Foundation
- The Seto Foundation
- Nordic PCL Construction
- Bill Reeves and Debbie Berger
- Mr. Nan & Dr. Mariko Shin
- Mr. Gerald & Mrs. Mary Jane Taniguchi
- Justine Stamen Arrillaga & John Arrillaga
- Dr. Clyde & Mrs. Saskia Ishii
- Mr. Chad & Mrs. Stephanie Buck
- Mr. Kent Matsuzaki
And mahalo to our many other generous individual donors
“I love going to KA'I for the summer. I got to learn so many new things with the best teachers, and I can't wait to be there again next summer. This school feels like my home.”
-- Pito, 3rd grade
GIVE TO THE KA‘I PROGRAMS
The KA‘I Programs are independently funded through educational grants and the generous support of donors. If you are interested in supporting the KA‘I Programs, click HERE to make a one-time gift!
Instructions:
- Click HERE to get started
- Under “Designated to” select “Other”
- Type in: “The KA‘I Programs”
- Donate!
Thank you for your support of the KA‘I Programs and your belief in the KA‘I students!
CONTACT
Allison Ishii Blankenship, Director
aishii@iolani.org
(808) 943-2300
FRED
FRED, KA‘I Group 1, USC Graduate
"KA‘I has provided me tremendous financial, academic and character development support, from 6th grade until college graduation. It's a guiding hand that many students need to graduate from college, which is such a daunting task when you are the first in your family to do so, or tuition costs seem impossible to handle, or you are unaware of how to even handle college applications."
KALEB
KA‘I Group 8, High School Senior
"The KA‘I Program has done much more than just helped me. It has designed me to be the best I can be. KA'I constantly stays with me in my actions, how I treat others, and in my future."
Tiff
KA‘I Group 3, KCC Graduate
"If I had to describe the KA'I program in one word, it would be 'opportunity.' The KA'I Program is definitely a huge part of who and where I am today. I've had opportunity after opportunity come my way simply because I showed up and went to KA‘I. All of these different classes and opportunities are now skills that I've used in high school, college and in my job today."