We welcome you to the Brick Garden Project at the West Hawaii Civic Center, a focal point of a community relationship. The project is named Kapilina, a relationship of the past living in the present guided into the future.

Hawaii Island Rotarians, in partnership with the County of Hawaii, are engaged in a commemorative brick project at the West Hawaii Civic Center in recognition of the outstanding community benefits provided by the following non-profit organizations: FRIENDS of the Children's Justice Center - West Hawaii, Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers, Hawaii Island Humane Society, The Food Basket, HOPE Services Hawaii, The Island of Hawaii YMCA and the West Hawaii Community Health Center. These organizations enrich the lives of every sector of our community through their efforts. All donations, less the cost of the bricks, will be distributed to the respective organizations. Mahalo for your support.

Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers (HI-GOOT), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, is the lead organization for this project. HI-GOOT will be collecting orders, overseeing the placing of the bricks and dispersing funds to our sister organizations.

You can download a pdf order form here.

or get it touch with one of the non-profit organizations that are part of this project for an order form.

Questions? Email questions: or call 329-6077.

FRIENDS of the Children's Justice Center - West Hawaii The Friends of the Children's Justice Center is a private non-profit corporation which provides funds for enhancement and basic needs for children who have experienced sexual or physical abuse or neglect and those who witnessed violent crime.

HOPE Services Hawaii HOPE Services Hawaii, a non-profit corporation which took over the Office for Social Ministry's Care-A-Van program, an extensive Big Island operation of outreach vans. HOPE Services Hawaii also administers homeless shelters such as The Friendly Place, and services to the disabled. Website: hopeserviceshawaii.org

Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers HI-GOOT is the lead organizer for this project and is responsible for dispersing the funds to all seven organizations. Like all of the organizations involved in this project, HI-GOOT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-prot corporation.

HI-GOOT helps to provide financial aid grants to aspiring local teachers, ensuring that qualified teacher candidates can complete their final semester of student teaching. Many drop out of the program due to financial reasons, and as a result Hawaii Island does not add local teachers. For those who go on to receive their degree in the Statewide Teacher Education Program at the UH-Manoa, the retention rate is 98%! Website: growinghawaiiteachers.org

Hawaii Island Humane Society The mission of the Hawaii Island Humane Society is to promote respect for all animals, prevent cruelty to animals, eliminate pet overpopulation, and enhance the relationship between humans and animals. HIHS offers 24-hour service for injured animals and other animal emergencies, humane education classes, low-cost spay and neuter services, lost and found assistance, microchipping and more. Website: hihs.org.

The Food Basket, Inc., Hawaii Island's Food Bank The Food Basket is an island wide, supplemental food network that collects and distributes nutritious, high quality food to low income households, the working poor, the disabled, the ill, senior citizens, children's programs and other charitable organizations that serve this population. Supplemental food is provided regardless of religious beliefs, gender or ethnicity. Website: foodbaskethi.org

The Island of Hawaii YMCA The YMCA's programs, services and initiatives enable kids to realize their potential, prepare teens for college, offer ways for families to have fun together, empower people to be healthier in spirit, mind and body, prepare people for employment, welcome and embrace newcomers and help foster a nationwide service ethic.

West Hawaii Community Health Center The West Hawaii Community Health Center's mission is to make quality, comprehensive, and integrated health services accessible to all regardless of their ability to pay. Their services are culturally appropriate and promote community well-being through the practice of malama pono (caring for others in a way that is right). Website: westhawaiichc.org

Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers

We all care about education in Hawaii....now YOU can do something about it!

Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) formed to help expand the number of "home grown" elementary and secondary school teachers on Hawaii Island. Our goal is to provide financial assistance to help teachers in training complete their studies. See Brick Project (below) to learn about our initial fundraising effort.
A few facts:

• The State of Hawaii needs 1,500 new teachers a year.
• Prospective Hawaii Island teachers can complete their teaching degree locally through the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
• The most challenging time financially is the last semester: They cannot work and must pay their tuition while completing their teacher practicum. At this critical juncture, many, who are already financially challenged, do not have the resources to complete their degree.
• Of those who do complete the University of Hawaii Teacher Education Program, 98% (since 2003) are still teaching here in Hawaii.
• Nearly all funds raised by Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers will go to provide direct financial assistance. The Board accepts no remuneration, and most of the costs (other than the cost of the bricks) have been donated by Hawaii Island businesses.
  

Buy a Brick and Help Us Grow Our Own Teachers

A visible sign of your support for Hawaii Island education.
Growing Our Own Teachers' initial fundraising effort is joint project with Rotary Clubs, other community groups and the County of Hawaii to create an everlasting tribute on the site of the new West Hawaii Civic Center.

Laser engraved bricks are available for sale now through September 30, 2011. These bricks will be professionally placed in a courtyard at the new Civic Center and will be visible for generations to come.

Our Frequently Asked Questions will answer many questions you may have about the brick project. You can also ask questions through email: brick@growinghawaiiteachers.org

How the brick project will help grow our own teachers?
The funds raised from the brick project will allow us to give direct financial assistance to prospective teachers in the last semester of their education--just when their needs are the greatest. This is when they must pay tuition and are unable to work for pay as they work under supervision of trained teachers. This financial aid will help future teachers over the last big hurdle on their way to teacher certification.

All net proceeds go to supporting Big Island teachers.
The Board and many of the suppliers of goods and services for this project are donating their time and expertise. The major expense for this project is the cost of the bricks and the engraving. We are grateful for our community volunteers and our corporate support, which keeps non-brick costs to a minimum.

Tax Deductible
Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, which means contributions will be tax-deductible.

The Department of Education actively recruits nationally and often pays relocation bonuses to attract teachers on the mainland to come to Hawaii to teach. Statistically, the majority of the mainland teachers recruited return to the mainland after two years. There is no similar government effort to create meaningful financial assistance programs in the state.

Potential teacher candidates are often 'maxed out' for loans from their 1st two years of education and many candidates need to work full-time while trying to be a student for the last two years. Home grown teachers bloom where they are planted. Teachers that have grown up in the islands don't have any illusions about island life. They know the salaries are low, the cost of living is high, and that island culture is rich and varied. They grew up with "Aloha" and it is a way of life for them, not just a Hawaiian word.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa ooffers a statewide program to help meet the need for qualified teachers. Future Hawaii teachers can now stay on Hawaii Island with their families and still get the same quality education they would get by relocating to Oahu.

They can go to a local two-year college for their first years of a baccalaureate education and complete their next two years through the Statewide Teacher Education Program through traditional and distance learning classroom instruction. For their field experiences, they are placed in their local schools on Hawaii island with a qualified mentor teacher and university supervisor.

Most local teacher candidates have to pay for their own college education. They do it by working a full-time job or several part-time jobs. Many candidates have families of their own or are the sole income provider for their families. With tuition, books, a computer, software, supplies, and other associated expenses, the costs are approximately $5000 per semester or $20,000 for the two-year program. In spite of all this, there are many local teacher candidates who have the motivation and dedication to tough it out. Until that is, their final semester. They must quit their jobs and serve full-time in the classroom. Teacher candidates do not get paid for student teaching and many cannot afford that last hurdle to become a teacher. The financial aid we provide helps them over the last hurdle.

We know we are making a great investment in the future, as 98% of those who have graduated from the Program since 2003 are still teaching in Hawaii.

Hawaii Island Growing Our Own Teachers Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has seven individuals with extensive experience with non-profit work on Hawaii Island. They are all volunteers.

Ellen Cunningham, President

Barbara Kossow, President-elect

Dr. David Hiranaka, Vice President

Brian Asbjornson, Treasurer

Dr. Clifford Kopp, Secretary

William Cliff, Director

Gregory Ogin, Director