HBA Celebrates High School Graduation and New Elementary Principal

In a letter to Hawaii Baptist Academy (HBA) students, family, alumni, and supporters, HBA president Ron Shiira shared about their graduation celebration and their new Elementary School principal.

HBA president, Ron Shiira, addresses guests during the graduation celebration.

Shiira said that on Friday, June 2, "with family and friends, we had the opportunity to celebrate our Class of 2023 graduates." He added, "Graduation represents the culmination of years of hard work and commitment from our students, endless love and sacrifice from their parents and families, and dedication and service from our faculty and staff. We are so blessed to be on this journey all together."

In his e-mail, he also shared about the transition of HBA's Elementary School principal, Amy Vorderbruegge, to become HBA's director of strategic planning. Vorderbruegge will do this from California, where her husband has been called to serve as executive pastor at CrossCity Christian Church in Fresno.

President Shiira praised Vorderbruegge and said, "During Amy’s tenure at the elementary campus, she has helped cultivate a strong leadership team." He added, "It is from within that team that the selection committee and I, with a vote of confidence from the HBA Board of Directors, have selected a new elementary principal." Shiira reported that Dr. Emmett Winters will begin serving as elementary principal on July 1, 2023.

Dr. Winters earned his Bachelors in Communication and Religious Studies, Masters in Counseling Psychology, and Doctorate in Leadership with an emphasis in Education. His roles over the years have included teacher, counselor, adjunct professor, and administrator. Emmett, his wife Aly, and their children Elya and Kairo attend New Hope, Hawaii Kai.

The new elementary principal, Dr. Emmett Winters, his wife Aly, and children Elya and Kairo