Stephanie Feeney
The mission of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is to “ma– lama” (protect) Hawai‘i’s people and environmental resources and to build a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and nation. Recognized nationally and internationally, its purpose is to provide the opportunity for a better life and future for all Hawaiians. The trustees of OHA understand the importance of education as the key to improving Hawaiians’ quality of life. They have invested resources to improve educational opportunities for Hawaiians and better access to education at all levels. In considering educational initiatives to support, OHA focuses on facilitating culturally sound opportunities that will promote academic success and lifelong learning. They support a broad range of educational programs from scholarships and tuition assistance to funding for charter schools, youth leadership and S.T.E.M. initiatives through Na– Pua No‘eau, homeless advocacy, books, curriculum development, preschools, and alternative programs for teacher preparation. OHA has been generous in their support of several programs and projects in the College of Education, most recently, Ho‘okula– iwi. Through Ho‘okula– iwi initiatives, OHA encourages Hawaiians to become teachers, preparing teachers to teach in schools that serve large percentages of Hawaiian students, creating curriculum responsive to the Hawaiian culture, and developing Hawaiian educational leaders for the future. These programs have focused primarily on efforts on the leeward side of O‘ahu, but also have extended to serve the needs of teachers on Ni‘ihau.
Stephanie Feeney - Award of Professional Distinction Stephanie Feeney worked for many years to improve education for the youngest children of Hawai‘i and our nation. Her passion and commitment to early childhood education pushed her to work for policy changes in Hawai‘i and to advocate for a master’s degree in early childhood education at the College of Education that is accessible across the state. Feeney received her education at UCLA, Harvard, and Claremont Graduate University. She began her university teaching career as an assistant professor at UHM in 1972, retiring as a professor after more than 35 years of service. As professor emeritus, she continued to work with master’s students in the early childhood program. She is a prolific writer, publishing three books in 2008, two for early childhood educators and one for children. The eighth edition of her popular textbook Who Am I in the Lives of Children was released in 2009. This book, used in early childhood teacher education programs since 1979, has been translated into Japanese. Feeney has made significant contributions to early childhood education nationally through her work on professional ethics. She is co-author of the Code of Ethical Conduct for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and has written two books about professional ethics for the association. She has written four books for children about Hawai‘i — A is for Aloha, Hawai‘ i is a Rainbow, Sand to Sea and the new Sun and Rain: Exploring the Seasons in Hawai‘ i. Active in early education policy, Feeney serves on many committees in Hawai‘i and on the governing boards of NAEYC and the National Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE).
Donors & Friends
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Excellence in Education Award
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