VOYAGER
2024-2025 Annual Report
OUR MISSION:
Educating the mind, inspiring the heart. Preparing Kauaʻi youth to lead lives of significance.
THE POWER OF PLACE
Nearly every morning as part of my routine to prepare for the day, I have a cup of coffee and head into our backyard where I both check-in on the mini-crown flower plants we are nurturing and sit and take in the view of Hāʻupu. This quiet time in the morning, this small ritual to connect to our home, helps me shift into the work that lies ahead each day.
The opening lyrics from our own alma mater, written by Leinani Springer, the spouse of long-time head of school Bob Springer, say it best:
From the slopes of Kilohana To Hāʻupu’s heights we gaze. Our foundation is the ʻāina.
Over the years, we have worked to deepen how our students connect to their home, how they see their learning relevant in the world around them with the ʻāina of Kauaʻi as a foundation. At every level of our program you can see where we are leveraging this beautiful place to connect academic learning and our classroom work as a way to foster the values of mālama and kuleana for the ʻāina. In the pages ahead, you will have a chance to read how the Nā Pua Keiki ʻOhana Project program connects our earliest learners to their family stories brought to life on and off campus. You will get a glimpse into how our Elementary students have a culminating experience in Kōkeʻe to bring together environmental studies. You will have a chance to learn more about our Middle School Ed-Ventures, full-day immersive and interdisciplinary learning experiences across Kauaʻi that happen each quarter. And finally, you will get to read about the impact of Hawaiian Culture-Based Education in Middle School, how our growing ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi program in our Upper School includes experiential learning outside of the classroom with community partners, and how our entire 9th Grade took their academic learning from the classroom into the field and snorkeled as a way to gather evidence and learn more about the health of coral at Anini Beach.
The Annual Report is one view into how we make The Power of Place possible for our students. We are so grateful to each and every one of our donors, whether it be a donation of time, talent, or treasure that supports our ability to create an enriching learning environment that extends across our island home. The Power of Place is what holds so many of us here, what called us to Kauaʻi, what asks all of us to meet our duty to both mālama ʻāina and mālama this community, the loving families with whom our children are growing up, the beautiful school campus, the caring faculty and staff.
We are glad to share with you through this Annual Report the generous donors who support our school mission and believe in the potential that is held inside each of our students.
Together, Nancy Nagramada, P’29 Head of School
Place -Based Learning
Our Place-Based Learning program connects students across all grades to the local environment, community, and culture through hands-on, inquiry-driven experiences.
In Nā Pua Keiki, Island School’s Pre-Kindergarten program, student learning is guided by three principles: being, belonging, and becoming. The ʻOhana Project program allows Island School’s youngest students to expand their sense of belonging from within their families and classroom, to the wider island community.
The ʻOhana Project program invites students’ families to share something that is special to them, either their work, passion, or community, and become the teachers for the day. ʻOhana Project days happen throughout the school year, and each family has the opportunity to share their passions with their child’s class.
ʻOhana Project days have included a trip to the Grand Hyatt to learn about different jobs at a hotel, a hike up Sleeping Giant, guided by a parent who grew up at the base of the mountain and shared stories of her childhood with students, a visit from the Kauaʻi Police Department, led by a parent who works as an officer and taught students about the K9 unit, and many more.
The entire class, 40 students ages 3-5 years old, learn about their wider island community from these experiences, as well as different roles, including their own, within that community. When a student understands that they are valued within their family, their classroom, and their community, they come to school wanting to learn and connect with their classmates. Sue Macklin, Island School’s Early Years Division Director, says that community is in a child’s DNA. Young children want to contribute to their communities, and the family is their first and most important relationship. When those relationships, between their family and their wider community, can connect, children develop into lifelong students who love learning.
These experiences in Nā Pua Keiki set the stage for what is to come for an Island School student, who will go on to work and learn within their wider community throughout elementary, middle, and high school.
Authentic learning experiences are cultural, environmental, and co-constructed by children, teachers, families, and community.
Off-campus learning experiences continue in Elementary School, where students begin to take culminating field trips as part of their academic year. During the year-long curriculum in fourth grade, students learn about Hawaiian history and culture. Each field trip they take throughout the year connects back to this theme, including their culminating multi-day trip to Kōkeʻe in March.
This exciting trip lasted three days and two nights, and gave students responsibilities throughout the trip, including cooking meals, cleaning cabins, and teaching their own lessons.
Students created lessons that they presented at different points throughout the three-day trip. Small groups of students were assigned various topics, and had class time before the trip to research, write up their main points, and practice their presentations. On the first day in Kōkeʻe, the class hiked Waipoʻo Falls, and the first small student group presented on Waimea Canyon. After they arrived and got settled into their campsite, another small student group presented on the history of Kōkeʻe. The first night, after dinner and sitting around the campfire, students presented on traditional Hawaiian navigation techniques, which they had learned about during their Hawaiian studies lessons earlier in the year.
Similar to ʻOhana Projects in Nā Pua Keiki, parents of Island School fourth graders who were experts or passionate about certain topics were given the opportunity to share that knowledge with the larger group. One parent led students in Makahiki Games, a variety of Hawaiian games played during the Makahiki season. Another parent led students in picking invasive ginger plants on a hike, which tied back to the lessons they learned about native and invasive plants of Hawaiʻi.
This culminating trip offered students the chance to use the knowledge they accumulated throughout the year to teach their own lessons to classmates as well as make their own connections between lessons learned in the classroom to activities led by community members.
In Middle School, students take what they have learned in the classroom and experience some of the real world implications of these lessons through quarterly Ed-Venture Days. Ed-Venture Days are immersive, fullday, place-based excursions that each grade in middle school takes across the island.
Ed-Venture days are designed to bring classroom learning to life. Each experience integrates grade-level content from multiple subject areas, allowing students to connect what they learn in the classroom to real world experiences. Rooted in research on student development and innovative learning practices, Ed-Venture days connect classroom lessons to real life applications and fosters deeper understanding for students. By engaging directly with communities on Kauaʻi, students strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills while building meaningful cognitive connections.
Last year, Island School eighth graders explored sacred and religious sites from Wailua to Līhuʻe, building upon their global religions unit of their World History class led by Pat Gegen. Students started at the Hikinaakalā Heiau in Wailua, then visited the Hindu monastery, Līhuʻe Hongwanji, and ended their day at St. Michael’s Episcipol Church. For their culminating trip in the spring, the entire eighth grade continued their immersive study with a 3-day experience on Hawaiʻi Island. This trip focused on connecting their earth science geological studies and their social studies units on Hawaiian history and King Kamehameha. ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi students along with their Kumu Kalanikila Palupe led the way as the class practiced formal protocol to ask permission to enter spaces and show gratitude to experts who shared their knowledge. Students offered lei and hoʻokupu as they performed their oli and hula for Pele at the foot of the crater as Kīlauea erupted.
Seventh grade connected their Life Science curriculum to the ocean through a day with Kauaʻi Sailing Association, learning about marine ecosystems in Nawiliwili Harbor. Students conducted a plankton study by collecting samples from various locations in the harbor to analyze and understand differences in water quality and marine life. Experiences like this allow students to process information in different ways. Island School middle school student, Naia, said of this trip, “It was cool to learn from people who do science for their job and to see what we were learning out in the real world instead of just on a white board.”
The sixth grade class traveled to Waimea for a walking tour regarding west-side history, and to watch Where the Red Fern Grows at the Waimea theater, which they had read for their English class.
Through these Ed-Venture experiences, Island School students gain a more personal connection to what they learn in the classroom. By stepping beyond campus and engaging with the unique environments and communities of Kauaʻi, they see how their studies apply to the real world around them. These days not only make learning more meaningful and memorable but also help students develop curiosity, empathy, and a lifelong appreciation for discovery. Ultimately, Ed-Venture days embody Island School’s commitment to educating the mind, inspiring the heart, and preparing Kauaʻi youth to lead lives of significance.
Above from left to right: eighth graders at the Hindu Monastery, seventh graders observing their plankton samples under microscopes, and sixth graders on their walking tour of Waimea.
“It was cool to see what we were learning out in the real world instead of just on a white board.”
As students enter high school and engage in more technical classes, off-campus and hands-on learning excursions provide important opportunities to keep lessons grounded in the real world. These experiences embody Island School’s commitment to making learning meaningful and memorable.
Ninth through twelfth grade students in the high school Digital Media class, led by Teddy Rose ’12, visited Hōʻike Kauaʻi Community Media to see what it takes to run a professional media studio. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi students travel off campus led by Kumu Kanānāikahaku to work with community organizations such as Waipā and Kūmano I Ke Ala to work in loʻi and engage their language skills in the context of cultural practice and mālama ʻāina.
Students in Laura Lee’s Honors Biology class visited the Corteva Agriscience site in Kekaha to learn about the company’s role in producing seeds for farmers. The entire ninth grade class, led by Aaron Swink and Jenny Lewis, traveled to Anini Beach for a Marine Biology expedition with Reef Guardians.
On this excursion, students rotated through a series of hands-on learning stations, including a snorkeling experience (for some students this was
their first time snorkeling!), which offered students an entirely new perspective on their studies in ninth grade Biology. By observing corals and sea life in their natural habitat, students built upon foundational knowledge from their classroom lessons on the classification of marine organisms. Equipped with underwater cameras, students documented the marine life they encountered, and will use those photos throughout the year as they move into the sea life unit of their Biology class. These direct observations in the ocean allowed students to see complex biological processes at work, which they spent time learning about in class prior to the trip. Students had learned in class about a specific sea slug, the Sap Sucking Sea Slug or sacoglossans, that feeds on algae as well as photosynthesises, and then found one while snorkeling on this field trip.
In addition to their time in the water, students spent part of the day with Jenny Lewis applying mathematical concepts to real environmental data, reinforcing cross-disciplinary learning. Each component of the trip supported skills and content they have learned in the classroom that they will return to later in the year. This experiential learning truly enriches their academic study.
In the 2024-2025 school year, Island School was grateful to receive the single largest monetary donation in school history - $1.1 million, from the Gushman ʻOhana. Please see below the gift announcement letters shared with the community in 2025.
January 15, 2025
Aloha Island School,
It is with heartfelt gratitude and excitement that I write to share the news and celebrate an exceptional gift Island School has received. This past December, the Gushman ʻOhana chose to give the single largest monetary donation the School has ever received, $1.1 million. In addition, they have pledged an additional $150,000 each year for the next five years towards the annual fund, financial aid, and the endowment, for a total of $1.85 million.
This gift is another sign of the watershed moment we are in for Island School. We are on the cusp of entering our 50th year as an institution. We are on the threshold of having our student body surpass 500. We have a vibrant and dedicated community of families, students, faculty, and staff who are poised to turn the page together to begin this next chapter of Island School’s growth and development.
At the same time, this generous gift comes at a time when we are facing critical questions as a school community. How can we compensate our faculty and staff in a way that recognizes the importance of their work and the on-going increasing cost of living here in Kauaʻi? How do we balance the cost of executing a rigorous and engaging program while also keeping our tuition as accessible as possible? How do we expand and care for our facilities so we can be ready for what the next 50 years holds for us?
Through their gift, the Gushman ‘Ohana embody “Kahiau” – extraordinary generosity to serve others without any expectation one should be served in return. On behalf of Island School, we are honored to receive this gift.
Mahalo nui loa to the Gushman ‘Ohana for believing that together, as Voyagers, we will navigate our way through the waters that will lead us to Island School’s bright future.
Together,
Nancy Nagramada P’29 Head of School
Above: Jed and Erin Gushman with Board President Sam Pratt P’20 & ’23, and Head of School Nancy Nagramada P’29
From the Gushman ʻOhana,
On behalf of our ʻohana, we want to thank all the teachers, staff, administration, and all of the students, families, and community members who contribute to make Island School an amazing place for the children of Kaua‘i to learn, grow, and establish a strong foundation from which to lead lives of significance.
We are profoundly grateful to have a special place like Island School on our tiny island, and to have the opportunity for our children, to have such an amazing and rich educational experience. Over the past few decades our family has watched and participated in Island School’s growth from a small, aspirational school to the thriving community of nearly 500 students it is today.
Erin (’02) and her sister, Sarah (’05), graduated in the early years of the high school, and Erin’s mother, Joan Shaw, worked for more than 25 years as Assistant Head of School, Development Director, and College Counselor, and poured her heart and soul into the school and her students. Today, we collectively continue our support of Island School through participating on the Board, as part of the Island School ‘Ohana Association, volunteering in a variety of ways, and giving financially as we can.
With both humility and great pleasure, we feel honored to give this gift to Island School for all that it has made and will make possible in the lives of the children in our community. We hope a gift of this kind will be matched or inspire giving at any and all levels by others as the school reaches an inflection point. Island School has come so far in its almost 50 years, and there is much to do ahead as we work to ensure our hard-working teachers and support staff can continue to build their lives and careers here, to improve our physical campus for the next generation of students and families, and to secure accessibility for more Kaua‘i families to experience an Island School education.
The future of Kaua‘i youth and the generations to follow depend on us leading the way today. We are grateful to be a part of such a generous community that prioritizes the role Island School can play in the lives of children and families.
With Aloha,
Erin ’02 and Jed Gushman P’33, P’35
Below: Updates made to the Faculty & Staff Workroom and the Front Office thanks to funds from the Gushman ʻOhana gift.
Volunteer Spotlight: Kourtney McTernan
Kourtney McTernan P’29 and P’26 has been volunteering with the Island School ʻOhana Association (ISOA) for the last three years, but has been volunteering at her children’s schools since they were in pre-kindergarten. What was born out of the desire to be close to her children, Keifer and Finn, became a way for Kourtney to support Island School in ways that are meaningful to the teachers who support her children.
The McTernan’s moved to Kauaʻi from California three years ago, where Kourtney volunteered at her children’s schools, chaperoning field trips, making copies for teachers, or decorating the classroom for special events. She saw that need from teachers, and that her time was making a difference in their days. That is the same approach she has taken with the ISOA. However she can be helpful to the school, and however she can show her appreciation, she will be there. A favorite opportunity of Kourtney’s in the 2024-2025 school year were Monthly Mahalos, in which parents provided light refreshments in the teacher workroom each month to show gratitude and provide a boost for teachers and staff. This was a meaningful way for Kourtney to get involved, because it was an opportunity to acknowledge the work and care that teachers put into their students every day.
Another favorite opportunity of Kourtney’s is the Island School Carnival. She tells ISOA co-presidents Erin Gushman (P’33, P’35) and Jesse Amorin (P’35, P’38) to place her wherever they need the most help or have the least volunteer sign ups. She knows that
many hands make light work, and is proud to be part of that work.
The Carnival is a favorite school event of Kourtney’s also because she can watch her children having fun with their friends being themselves. This closeness to her children is another reason why Kourtney loves volunteering with the ISOA. Since her children were in preschool, she’s been able to be at school with her children, watching them grow, and being a steady presence for their friends and classmates as well.
It is also important to Kourtney to have her children see her volunteering at their school. She grew up watching her own mother volunteering, and this responsibility was instilled in her. This is what we do, we give back to our community when and where we can. She sees this value in her own children too. Her children both volunteer as part of their high school requirement of 20 hours per year, but find value and meaning in it as well, just as she does, and just as her mother did.
One thing that Kourtney wants other parents who may be thinking about joining ISOA to know, is that it is not an all-or-nothing commitment. “The ISOA is a group of dedicated parents, uncles, and aunties, who want to show their appreciation to the school. I always tell parents that volunteering just one hour in the year makes a difference, and that there are many ways to get started!”
Interested in getting involved as a volunteer? The Island School ʻOhana Association plans community events for students, teacher appreciation activities throughout the year, and more! Email isoa@ischool.org to get involved.
Alumni Spotlight: Tyler Kim
Tyler Kim attended Island School from 1979-1985 and looks back on his time at the Kealia campus with great fondness. He is also a recurring donor to the Annual Voyager Fund. We sat down with Tyler to reminisce on his favorite parts of Island School, and why he continues to support our mission - Educating the mind, inspiring the heart. Preparing Kauaʻi youth to lead lives of significance.year after year.
Q: What are some of your most memorable experiences from your time at Island School?
A: Beach Day on Wednesdays at Kealia Beach. Older kids surfed while younger ones (like me) played in the shore-break. I remember building sandcastle pyramids and admiring the construction techniques of my friends like Toby King, who used his rubber slipper to smooth out the sides.
Q: Why do you believe it’s important for alumni to stay connected and support their former school?
A: Places like Island School remain a part of you, wherever you end up. I’ve moved around a lot since growing up on Kauaʻi – to Oʻahu, California, Toronto, Montreal and now the Cayman Islands. However, I continue to consider Kauaʻi home, and maintaining some kind of connection to Island School is one way of reinforcing that to myself.
Q: What message would you share with current students about making the most of their time here—and possibly giving back one day?
A: If can, can. If no can, no can.
Q: What is one thing about Island School that you hope never changes?
A: Island School’s bohemian spirit.
Q: What inspired you to start giving back to the school as a donor?
A: A couple years ago at an offsite in Hampshire, England, I referenced my memories of Island School during the opening of an important presentation that I was giving to all of the senior leaders within our firm, globally. It made me realize how important and impactful my experience there was, as it continued to be relevant 40+ years later!
Right: Tyler Kim, an Island School first grader, as featured in the 1982 yearbook. In the 1981-1982 school year, Island School enrolled seventy-two students, fourtyfour boys, and twenty-eight girls. In 1982, Island School earned its first K-12 accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Island School Alumni, share your story!
Be on the lookout for upcoming alumni events!
New job, degree, or other big event you’d like to highlight? Email alumni@ischool.org with any updates!
Mahalo Kamehameha Schools
Island School has been proud to collaborate with Kamameha Schools through their Kaiāulu program since 2019, bringing Ho’oulu I Ke Ola o Na, to enrich the lives of children, to life and supporting access to an Island School education for Native Hawaiian students and further developing aloha ‘āina and academic skills for post-high school success. And through the generous grant for financial aid that was provided through Kaiaulu, we were able to deploy other financial aid resources to provide broader access for all Kauaʻi youth from the many backgrounds across our island community. Due to transitioning program structures for Kaiāulu, FY2025 was our final year to receive this distinctly generous grant of $542,500. We are so grateful for five years of collaboration for a total of $2,712,500 that helped us transform our school community.
In Full Swing! Rodney Ochoa Jr. Baseball Field
Island School was honored to dedicate its new baseball field on May 15, 2025 in memory of Rodney Ochoa Jr. (1960-2023). The ceremony brought together Rodney’s family, friends, and our broader Island School community to celebrate his legacy and officially unveil the Rodney Ochoa Jr. Baseball Field. His spirit and love for the game will continue to inspire generations of Voyagers.
“I’m incredibly grateful that Island School has a baseball program. And I’m confident that, with time and dedication, there will be an Island School baseball team that hangs a championship banner alongside those of our other accomplished sports.”
- Cash McCluskey ’25 and baseball team captain
Below: The 2024-2025 Island School Baseball team with Stacy Ochoa, wife of Rodney Ochoa Jr.
Dr. Albert H. Halff Hall
Left: Enjoying the celebration and seeing the dedication plaque for Dr. Albert H. Halff, pictured left to right, David Feather, Bro Halff parents to Island School alum, Nancy Nagramada, Sam Pratt, and Sean Magoun.
On December 19, 2024, Island School dedicated one of our Middle School classroom buildings in honor of Dr. Albert H. Halff, who donated books to our middle school students every year from 2007 - 2013, and whose son, Bro Halff, has continued this legacy. The building dedication reads:
“Dr. Albert H. Half, a prominent Texas civil engineer, donated all the books and other educational materials for Island School middle school students from 2007, when he initiated a program to furnish books to the students, until his death in 2013.
He passed away on March 25, 2013, at the age of 97. His sons have continued this annual program through the present. For many years, Dr. Halff was a generous benefactor of education at all levels. No program was closer to his heart than the acquisition of books for middle school students at Island School. For weeks after all the books had been ordered, he frequently would ask, ‘Have the kids gotten their books yet?’
Since 2013, the Half family has enthusiastically sustained this effort to secure books and educational materials for students during this critical stage of their education. Thousands of books and educational aids have been purchased for Island School students over the years. The family is glad to support Island School with its annual donation of educational materials selected by the middle school teachers.
This building is named in honor of Dr. Albert H. Half, his commitment to education, and the impact that his generosity has had on our middle schoolers at Island School.”
“We thank you for your donation. We thank you for your generosity. We thank you for your commitment. We recognize that every book, and every supply order made serves as a bridge connecting our students to giants of knowledge and new worlds to explore. This bridge will inspire the next generation to reach higher, see further, dream bigger, and inevitably ask new questions which will lead to next chapters to be written.”
- Joe Corbo, veteran Island School Middle School Science and Math teacher, 6th Grade Dean
Right: Faculty member Joe Corbo speaking at Middle School dedication for Dr. Albert H. Halff Hall.
FINANCIAL2024-2025 REPORT
While most of the school’s operating expenses are covered by tuition, gifts & grants provide significant non-tuition revenue that support all endeavors to achieve our mission.
REVENUE
EXPENSES
2024 -2025 GIVING
At Island School,
there has been a long tradition of helping others.
THE ANNUAL VOYAGER FUND
Friends of Island School
Gifts up to $99
Corban & Brandon Allard
Anonymous
Carol & Pete Bezy
Anna & James Braun
Cindy & Jim Brown
Sheryl Cabading
Guy Cabrera
Stephanie & Noa Char
Anne Dempsey
Joshua Dobashi
Claudia & George Evanoff
Madelynn Forgey
Tracie Fujioka
Brandon Fujioka
Kay Gampon
Staci & Adam Hadley
Timothy Johns
Yunah Joseph
Terri & Andy Kakutani
Nikole Keahiolalo
Stacy & Cody Kimura
Kaira Kupihea
Jenny & Peter Lewis
Megan & Lee Liddell
Kathleen Macart
Sue Macklin
Katie & Sean Magoun
Jodi Matsumoto
Mary May
Renate & Andrew McMullen
Kourtney & Keith McTernan
Helen Meade
Heather & Keliʻi Morgado
Margaret & Erik Pendleton
Mahina & Del Peralta
Bradley Pratt
James Pratt
G Purdy
Eunice & Philip Racpan
Celine & Mathieu Rapp
Stacey Reeh & Joe Walch
David Reynolds
Leilani Smith
Nanea Sproat-Armitage & Nelson Armitage Jr.
Kara & Aaron Swink
Chad Tabuchi
Les Tabuchi
Whitney & Erik Tanigawa
AnnMarie & Gary Underwood
Victoria & Tom Virag
Stephanie Whiting
Tim Wilson
Kalena Wong
Dawn & Chad Worley
Cindy Wortmann
JoAnn Yukimura & John Wehrheim
Kahea Zietz & Eric Rafter
The Circle Club
Gifts of $100 - $499
Megan & Kip Clifton
Sharon & Wayne Inanod
Kendra & Brad Inanod
Grace Ishida
Katie & Garrett Johnson
Michelle & Jerry Jona
Deanna & Kevin Kanehe
Rochelle Karter
Denise Kaufman
Mary Kennedy
Tyler Kim
Jeff Kozak
Christine & Seungjoon Lee
Darrellyn Lemke
Bonnie & Curt Lofstedt
Lisa Kahn Macko & John Macko
Terri & Randy Matsuoka
Marghee Maupin & Patrick Gegen
Susan & Jim Mayfield
Chantal & Andrew Mentzer
Lindsey Miller-Lerman
Linda Moriarty
James Nakayama
Sherry Niethammer
Keana Oliveira
Sanford Oshiro
Alice & Joshua Pajela
Gina & Brian Pearson
Nicole & Michael Pederson
Cristy & Ronald Peeren
Jennifer Pomroy
Thomas Potter
Jamie Prem
Troy Ragsdale
Sandy & Henry Rice
Kelsey Ritchie
Dana Romsdal
Erin & Adam Rose
Merlyn & Steven Ruddell
Dorothy Shaw
Anne & Chris Skabo
Ann Sokei & William Eddy
Josephine Sokei
Jeanne & Peter Sperry
We hold our Annual Voyager Fund donors in high esteem. These unrestricted gifts provide the most direct and flexible funding for all of Island School. Students, faculty, staff, programs, and activities are all enriched by this crucial funding. These gifts make an immediate impact in supporting the dynamic education not covered by tuition.
Mary & Darren Taiariol
Tanya & Thor Temme
Dionne & Antone Teves
Ken Todoki
Mehana & Kilipaki Vaughan
Colleen & Presley Wann
Penny & Newton Young
Peter Yukimura
Gary Zanercik
The Challenge Club
Gifts of $500 - $2,499
Anonymous
Bank of HawaiʻiKauaʻi Business Banking Center
Debra & Ernest Blachowiak
Arlene & Kurt Bosshard
Roberta Cable
Case Lombardi, A Law Corporation
Laura & Ralph Cushnie
Cushnie Construction Company, Inc.
Amanda & Michael Dickstein
Julie Fox-Bowers & Brian Bowers
Christine & Rodrick Frazer
Barbara & Gary Garcia
Garden Island Properties
Debi Gill
Sarah & David Goodale
Justin Guerber
James Guerber
Ning & Erdogan Gulari
Hallett Hammatt
Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy
Barbara & Mark Hubbard
Letitia & Chet Hunt
Christine & Alan Ing
Lindsay & Greg Kamm
Kerry Holder Joffrion & Peter Joffrion
Joann & Elliott Ke
Doug King
Monica King
KMH LLP
Tania Larkin & Dave Bogue
Erica Li
Kim & Wade Lord
Mary Luck
Nancy Nagramada & Charles Raymond
Kirsten & Penn Newhard
Niu Pia Land Company
Chenchen & Qiangqiang Pan
Melanie & John Parker
Teri & Matt Peers
William Pratt
Robin & Sam Pratt
Mary Pratt
Laura Ryan & Jeffrey Fisher
Joan & Richard Shaw
Dominika & Tim Soennichsen
Cynthia & Edwin Sorenson
Susan & Greg Strickland
Kanani Strickland & Christian Kahahawai
Karen & Will Summerhays
Sonia & Eduardo Topenio
Audrey & Marc Ventura
Jasmine & Koa Yukimura
The Cornerstone Club
Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999
Anonymous
Scott Ayres
Sequoia Ferry & Christopher Ordonez
Pauline & Mel Ventura
The Chairman’s Circle
Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999
Matthew Hurley
Mary Bea & Charles King
Hannah Lerman
Joan Maas
Katherine & Wayne Richardson III
The Voyager Club
Gifts of $10,000 or more
Fiona & Marvin Caruthers
Jill Eriksson & Joshua Brown-Clay
Richard Gushman
Erin & Jed Gushman
Kori & Peter King
TOTAL GIVING
2024 -2025
Mahalo to those who gave restricted and unrestricted donations to Island School during the 2024 - 2025 fiscal year.
TOTAL GIVING
Gifts up to $99
Corban & Brandon Allard
Anonymous
Carol & Pete Bezy
Anna & James Braun
Cindy & Jim Brown
Sheryl Cabading
Guy Cabrera
Stephanie & Noa Char
Joshua Dobashi
Claudia & George Evanoff
Madelynn Forgey
Tracie Fujioka
Brandon Fujioka
Kay Gampon
Staci & Adam Hadley
Timothy Johns
Terri & Andy Kakutani
Nikole Keahiolalo
Stacy & Cody Kimura
Kaira Kupihea
Jenny & Peter Lewis
Megan & Lee Liddell
Kathleen Macart
Sue Macklin
Jodi Matsumoto
Mary May
Renate & Andrew McMullen
Kourtney & Keith McTernan
Helen Meade
Heather & Keliʻi Morgado
Margaret & Erik Pendleton
Mahina & Del Peralta
Bradley Pratt
James Pratt
G Purdy
Eunice & Philip Racpan
Celine & Mathieu Rapp
Stacey Reeh & Joe Walch
David Reynolds
Leilani Smith
Nanea Sproat-Armitage & Nelson Armitage Jr.
Kara & Aaron Swink
Chad Tabuchi
Les Tabuchi
Whitney & Erik Tanigawa
Victoria & Tom Virag
Stephanie Whiting
Tim Wilson
Kalena Wong
Dawn & Chad Worley
Cindy Wortmann
JoAnn Yukimura & John Wehrheim
Kahea Zietz & Eric Rafter
$100-249
Paula & Tom Abbott
Stephanie & Archie Achuara Jr.
Steve Auerbach
Anonymous
Ann & Gregory Banks
Heather & Robert Biedermann
Rachel & Kurt Bubnis
Ricky Cassiday
Susan & Bill Chamberlain
Remedios & Edward Chinen
Edward Coan
Puanani & Erin Cobb-Adams
Jesse Corbett & Alexander Amorin
Heather & John Cornell
Harvest Edmonds
Kate & Kevin Egan
Wendy Elsasser
Marissa & Nathaniel Evslin
Violeta Fiesta-Netzer & H. Roger Netzer
Elizabeth & George Freitas
Christine & Bob French
Bea Fuller & Vincent Durnan
Patsy & Bruce Garlinghouse
Maria & Shannon Graves
Judy & Bob Gulde
Roberta Haas
Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama & Brad Nakayama
Andrea Healey & Joseph Corbo
Chris Hendrickson
Heidi Hillesland & Casey Paul
Kimberly & Paul Horner
Lauren & Steve Hunt
Sharon & Wayne Inanod
Grace Ishida
Katie & Garrett Johnson
Sue & Jim Jonas
Yunah Joseph
Susan & Leland Kahawai
Lisa Kahn Macko & John Macko
Deanna & Kevin Kanehe
Sherri Kawachi
Mary Kennedy
Jeff Kozak
Elizabeth Kreitzer & Ron Varr
Christine & Seungjoon Lee
Darrellyn Lemke
Kari & Andre Lister
Kristen & Chiem Ma
Whether you attended the annual gala, supported David W. Pratt Hall, gave to the Annual Voyager Fund or endowment, provided tuition aid, donated to a school club or athletics program, we are honored to recognize, with gratitude, all the donors who have contributed to Island School this past fiscal year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025).
Sean & Katie Magoun
Marghee Maupin & Patrick Gegen
Chantal & Andrew Mentzer
Linda Moriarty
Keana Oliveira
Sanford Oshiro
Alice & Joshua Pajela
Gina & Brian Pearson
Nicole & Michael Pedersen
Jennifer Pomroy
Jamie Prem
Troy Ragsdale
Sandy & Henry Rice
Tyler Rodighiero
Dana Romsdal
Erin & Adam Rose
Laura Ryan
Dorothy Shaw
Anne & Chris Skabo
Joanne Smith
Ann Sokei & William Eddy
Josephine Sokei
Jeanne & Peter Sperry
Mary & Darren Taiariol
Tanya & Thor Temme
Ken Todoki
AnnMarie & Gary Underwood
Autumn Wade
Karen Wellman
Nicole & Jason Welsh
Penny & Newton Young
Gary Zanercik
$250-499
Jill & Vincent Adams
Laura Brown-Clay
Brian Chase
Mike Dahilig
Diane DeLorenzo
Matthew & Marlene Doyle
Sokchea & Luke Evslin
Sally Foster
Randy Francisco
Betsy & Kenneth Greenbaum
Cynthia Hannah-White & Guy White
Lisa Froug-Hirano & Bradley Hirano
Kendra & Brad Inanod
Michelle & Jerry Jona
Rochelle Karter
Denise Kaufman
Tyler Kim
Bonnie & Curt Lofstedt
Kimberly Lu
Terri & Randy Matsuoka
Lindsey Miller-Lerman
James Nakayama
Sherry Niethammer
Cristy & Ronald Peeren
Thomas Potter
Kelsey Ritchie
Merlyn & Steven Ruddell
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Tora & Kirk Smart
Dionne & Antone Teves
Mehana & Kilipaki Vaughan
Colleen & Presley Wann
Norman Wolff
Peter Yukimura
$500-999
Anonymous
Roberta Cable
Amanda & Christopher Corio
Amanda & Michael Dickstein
Barbara & Gary Garcia
Garden Island Properties
Dianne Gerard & Thomas Hazelton
Debi Gill
Michael Goode
Justin Guerber
Leticia Gutierrez & Michael Murphy
Julie Haviland
Letitia & Chet Hunt
Kerry Holder Joffrion & Peter Joffrion
Joann & Elliott Ke
KMH LLP
Erica Li
Jamey Lupski
George Morvis
Melanie & Scott Parker
Vanessa & Edward Pūnua
Ramatu Sesay & William Carter
Kanani Strickland & Christian Kahahawai
Susan & Greg Strickland
Sonia & Eduardo Topenio
United States Tennis Association
Hawaii Pacific Inc.
Stacy Waikoloa & Evaron Haumea
Taylor Young & Micah Gonsalves Gregg
2024 -2025
$1,000-4,999
Anonymous
Atlas Benefit Consulting
Scott Ayres
Bank of Hawaiʻi - Kauaʻi Business Center
Carla & David Bissell
Debra & Ernest Blachowiak
Arlene & Kurt Bosshard
Case Lombardi, A Law Corporation
Leslie Chin & Ralph King
Megan & Kip Clifton
Laura & Ralph Cushnie
Deja Vu Surf Hawaiʻi
Amanda & Michael Dickstein
Julie Fox-Bowers & Brian Bowers
Christine & Rodrick Frazer
Sarah & David Goodale
Grove Farm Company, Inc.
James Guerber
Ning & Erdogan Gulari
Hallett Hammatt
Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy
Barbara & Mark Hubbard
Laurie & Dave Hutchinson
Christine & Alan Ing
Douglas Johnson
Lindsay & Greg Kamm
Doug King
Monica King
Kukuiʻula Development
Milton & Henrietta Kushkin Fund
Tania Larkin & Dave Bogue
Sheree & Mike Latif
Mary Luck
Janis Martinez
Janet Mayfield & Walt McCoy
Susan & Jim Mayfield
Lauren & Brian Miller
Nancy Nagramada & Charles Raymond
Kirsten & Penn Newhard
Niu Pia Land Company
Chenchen & Qiangqiang Pan
Teri & Matt Peers
Mary Pratt
Joan & Richard Shaw
Hannah & Peter Sirois
Dominika & Tim Soennichsen
Karen & Will Summerhays
Wimon & Brian Tafaro
Tamara & Paul Toner
Juliet & Ron Valencia
Audrey & Marc Ventura
Pauline & Mel Ventura
Gaylord Wilcox
Jasmine & Koa Yukimura
$5,000-9,999
Anonymous
Malika Dudley & Kaʻimi Judd
Sequoia Ferry & Christopher Ordonez
Sarah & James Flood
Matthew Hurley
James King
Toby King
Hannah Lerman
Joan Maas
Foundations & Trusts
ALTRES Foundation
Anonymous
Cooke Foundation
Crocker Catalyst Foundation
Elsie H. Wilcox Foundation
G. N. Wilcox Trust
Garmar Foundation
Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
Betsy & James Munroe
Cynthia & Edwin Sorenson
Sharron Weber
Priscilla & David Witt
$10,000-49,999
Sandi & Russell Boyce
Laura & Ralph Cushnie
Cushnie Construction Company, Inc.
Jill Eriksson & Joshua Brown-Clay
Fisher Family Fund
Karen & Richard Goodale
Goodale Family Fund
Richard Gushman
Kawailoa Development
Kori & Peter King
Mary Bea & Charles King
Kim & Wade Lord
William Pratt
Robin & Sam Pratt
Carol Pratt
Joanne & Peter Robson
The Street Family Charitable Fund
Aliseya Wright & Kamal Mokeddem
Mark Wagner & Eddie Beetschen
$50,000+
Anonymous
Fiona & Marvin Caruthers
Erin & Jed Gushman
Van & Robert Morrell
Katherine & Wayne Richardson III
Indian River Community Foundation
Kamehameha Schools
S. W. Wilcox Trust
Stevens World Peace Foundation
The Allstate Foundation
The Street Family Charitable Fund
Waimakua Foundation
RESTRICTED DONATIONS
2024 -2025
Kōkua (Gift in Kind)
1 Hotel Hanalei
Paula & Tom Abbott
Airborne Aviation
Aloha Ginger Beer
Aphrodites Treasures
Archipelago Research and Conservation
Arthur J. Hurley Company, Inc.
Aspire Furniture
Charlie Baker
Bank of Hawaiʻi
Barre Soul Kauaʻi
The Beach House
David Bickham
BikeIt Poʻipū
Body Glove Cruises
Lisa Breen
The Cabana Bar and Grill
Camp Waziyatah
Captain Andy’s
The Cliffs at Princeville
The Club at Kukui’ula
Jesse Corbett & Alex Amorin
Heather Cornell
Costco
Laura Cushnie
Cushnie Construction Company, Inc.
Divine Planet
Dog Fanciers of Kauaʻi
Duke’s Kauaʻi
Eating House 1849
Luke Evslin
Expert Exterminators Inc
Aaron Feinberg
Allegra Gains
Patsy and Bruce Garlinghouse
Gather Federal Credit Union
Glow Vitamin Therapy
Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi Resort and Spa
Ning & Erdowan Gulari
Erin & Jed Gushman
Bro Halff & David Feather
Hanalei Coffee Roasters
Hanalei Liquor Store
Hanalei Spirits Distillery Corp
Hanalei Strings
Hanalei Taro
Havaiki Oceanic and Trival Art
Andrea Healey & Joe Corbo
Hoku Foods
Honest Rituals
David Hubbard
Mark Hubbard
Hukilau Lanai
Island Business Brokerage
Island Hemp & Cotton Co.
Island Ride Kauaʻi
Island School Board of Directors
Island School’s Founding Mothers & Lynn Roth
Kalaheo Dental Group
Kalalea View Farm Tour
Kauaʻi Backcountry Adventures
Kauaʻi Carts
Kauaʻi Chocolate Company
Kauaʻi E Bikes
Kauaʻi Juice Co.
The Kauaʻi Marathon
Kauaʻi Scuba Adventures
Kauaʻi Tai Chi
Denise Kaufman
Sabra Kauka
Kawailoa Development & The Grand Hyatt Kaua’i
Keoki’s Paradise
Kiahuna Golf Course
Kikos
Kimama Ramen
The King ʻOhana
Kipu Ranch Adventures
Maui Kjeldsen
Koa Kea Hotel & Resort
Kōkeʻe Lodge
Kōloa Landing Resort at Poipu
Kōloa Pizza Kitchen and Bar
Kōloa Rum Company
Kualoa Ranch
La Vida Wellness
Lappert’s Hawaii
Sheree Latif
Latitudes Kauaʻi
Lawai Beach Resort
Catherine Lewallen
Lilikoi Bar and Grill
Carol Lloyd
Kelsey Maddox
Sean Magoun
Maka Imports
Malie Organics
Mana Massage
Mana Moana
Alaina Mandel
Helen Meade
Merriman’s
Mokihana Pest Control
Hilda Morales
Mucho Aloha Brewhouse
Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens
Na Pali Riders
Nancy Nagramada & Charles Raymond
Naisla Kitchen and Cocktails
Nuhou Corporation
Oʻahu Golf Apparel
Oasis on the Beach Restaurant
The Ocean Course at Hokuala
The Office of Mayor Derek Kawakami
Oskars Boutique
Outer Reef Jewelry
Cristy & Ronald Peeren
Permaculture Kauaʻi, Inc.
The Playground 808 Fitness Studio
The Polynesian Voyaging Society
Jennifer Pomroy
Puakea Golf Course
Punzal Vision
Rainbow Ducks
Rainbow Gems Kauaʻi
Reeve Wines
David Reynolds
Kathy Richardson
Cheryl Ringler
Royal Sonesta Kauaʻi Resort
Waileaia Santos-Tafiti dba Skin & Beauty
Joan & Richard Shaw
Sheraton Kauaʻi Resort
Anne Skabo
Strength Studio
Whitney Tanigawa
The Tasting Room & The Wine Shop
The Terrace
Tori Richard
The Westin Princeville
Verde Restaurant
Vitality Kauaʻi
YWCA of Kauaʻi
Island School Gala
The first Island School gala was held at the Coco Palms Queen’s Audience Hall on February 23, 1980. The gala has grown into a signature annual event for the whole Kauaʻi community, and attracted over 300 enthusiastic attendees in 2025. The gala proceeds make a significant contribution to Island School’s financial aid program and dynamic programming offered to all students.
Island School’s 2025 Gala Sponsors:
Navigator Sponsor
Amy Walia
Fisher-Pratt Party
Compass Sponsor
Allstate Insurance: Yukimura & Associates
Gushman ʻOhana
Marc Ventura AIA, LLC
Earthworks Pacific
Makana Kauaʻi Properties
Richardson ʻOhana
We are honored to be a nonprofit that you choose to support!
Giving back to Island School can be done in many ways.
WAYS TO GIVE
Online
Visit ischool.org/ways-to-give to make a one time or recurring gift
By Mail
Send a check payable to Island School,
Attn: Advancement
Appreciated Securities
Donate stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. Contact Advancement for instructions and to provide contact information for your gift.
Wire Transfer
Contact The Advancement Office at development@ischool.org for instructions
Kōkua (Gift in kind)
Donate goods or services
Matching Gifts
Double your donation! Check if your employer will match your donation.
Planned Gifts or Bequests
Include Island School in your estate plans or bequests
Volunteering
The Island School ʻOhana Association plans community events for students, teacher appreciation activities throughout the year, and more. Email isoa@ischool.org to get involved.
Another way to get involved is through the Booster Club. To become a member of the Booster Club, contact Athletic Director, Jerry Jona, at j.jona@ischool.org.
Scan the QR code to the left to make an invaluable donation to Island School!
Stephanie Achuara
Paula Abbott
Archie Achuara, Jr.
Nicolle Alfaro
Deannalyn “Dee” Alfonso
Rachelle Asuncion
Amelia Carter
Ron Carvalho
Colleen Cerra
Megan Clifton
Joe Corbo
Juliana Currier
Tia Fagarang
Genevieve Foster ’15
Pat Gegen
Jenn Haugh
Ben Hendrix
Peter Joffrion
Emily Johnson
Jerry Jona
Michelle Jona
Kehaulani Kaʻiwi
Caitlin Kaʻaihue
Andy Kakutani
Saebre Kaleiohi
Sachiko Kalima
Sabra Kauka
Jeff Kozak
Kanānāikahaku Kuhaulua
Leah Kuré
Abbie Laase
Laura Lee
Jenny Lewis
Heike Lill
Derrick Little
Rachel Lowery
Kirstee Luis
Alika Luka
Sue Macklin
Sean Magoun
2024-2025 Faculty & Staff
Upper School Division Director
Spanish Teacher
PE/Homeroom
1st Grade Teacher Aide
PreK Teacher Aide
Kindergarten Teacher Aide
2nd Grade Teacher
Transportation Team
ES Librarian
Director of Advancement
Math & Science/6th Gr Dean
Development Associate
PreK Teacher Aide
Communications Director
Social Studies/8th Gr Dean
English
Theatre Arts
Math/Science
Accounts Receivable Manager
Director of Athletics
Associate Dir. of Athletics
Transportation Supervisor
5th Grade Teacher
Math/Science
5th Grade Teacher Aide
Transportation Team
Kumu Hawaiian Studies
Director of Academics
Director of Hawaiian Culture-based Education & Upper School
Activities Coordinator
1st Grade Teacher
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Science
Math/Spanish
Science
Yearbook/Upper School Art
2nd Grade Teacher Aide
3rd Grade Teacher Aide
Bus Driver/Maintenance
Early Years Division Director
Director of Admissions, Financial Aid & Campus Operations
Victoria Mahikoa
Alaina Mandel
Andrew McMullen
Renate McMullen
Luka Moreno
Nancy Nagramada
Ben Nause
Jamie Nause
Danette Nelson
Ricardo Nuño
Ryan Oride
Daniella O’Malley
Keana Oliveira
Alice Pajela
Justin Pajela
Ashley Palacio-Ono
Joey Palupe
Darrius Pelissier
Cristy Peeren
Eric Phillips
Jen Pomroy
David Reynolds
Staci Rodriguez
Teddy Rose ’12
Art Rosqueta
Norante Rosqueta
Shantelle Shimogawa
Joyce Sun
Aaron Swink
Kara Swink
Emily Thomas
Darren Taiariol
Erwin Taylan
Jennifer Tomacder
Patricia Tortorelli
Kat Varano
Hilary Viohl
Joe Walch
Amy Walia
Adriana Welby
Christine White-Tzeng
Mary Jo Wilder
Accounts Payable Manager
Special Projects Coordinator
Social Studies
Counselor, College Placement
PreK Teacher Aide
Head of School
Chorus Director & Music Teacher
Social Studies/7th Gr Dean
Chief Financial Officer
Maintenance
Athletic Support Staff
Social Studies/10th Gr Dean
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Executive Assistant
IT Administrator
4th Grade Teacher
Kumu ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
Athletic Support Staff
Elementary School Division Director
Chief Technology Officer
PE/Homeroom
English/12th Gr Dean
4th Grade Teacher
Technology/Math/11th Gr Dean
Head Chef
Maintenance
Kindergarten Teacher
Music/9th Gr Dean
Science
PreK and Elementary Art
PE
Athletic Support Staff
Assistant Chef
Receptionist
After School Care Coordinator
4th Grade Teacher Aide
5th Grade Teacher
Science & Math
English
English
Counselor & Learning Specialist
Learning Resource Specialist
2024-2025 Board of Directors
Officers
Samuel W. Pratt, President
Christine Ing, Vice President & Governance Chair
Brian Bowers, Treasurer & Finance Chair
Jed Gushman, Assistant Treasurer & Development Chair
Katherine G. Richardson, Past President
Marc Ventura, Secretary
Trustee Emeritus
Lindsay Kamm
Charles G. King
David W. Proudfoot
Ex-Officio
Nancy Nagramada, Head of School
Members
Colby Ayonon
Debra Blachowiak
Joshua Brown-Clay
Erin Cobb-Adams
Laura Cushnie
James Guerber
Cynthia Hannah-White
Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama
H. Peter King
Wade Lord, Buildings and Grounds Chair
Janet Mayfield
Teri Peers
Laura Ryan
Will Summerhays
Island School
3-1875 Kaumuali’i Highway
Līhuʻe, HI 96766
@islandschool_voyagers @IslandSchoolVoyagersKauai @IslandSchoolHI
