Full scholarships available for educators
Posted: June 27, 2025
Public school educators across the State of Hawai‘i are invited to apply for the Ka‘ohekani Hawaiian Music Program at Windward Community College (WCC) — a fully online, year-long certificate program designed to teach Hawaiian music, integrate it into classroom instruction, and offer college credits that count toward professional development and step reclassification pay raises. Full and significant scholarships are available.
The program is open to educators at Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) schools and Hawai‘i public charter schools, regardless of grade level or subject area.
“We just completed our second year with 39 HIDOE teachers enrolled,” said Dr. Kamuela Kimokeo, director of WCC’s Music Department and founder of the Ka‘ohekani Program. “It’s completely asynchronous and open to participants of all musical backgrounds.”
“Our mission and goal were to find a way to reintroduce music into our schools — even in places where dedicated music programs don’t exist,” Kimokeo said.
“We created this program specifically for public and charter school teachers, giving them another tool in their quiver. Music isn’t the solution to every educational challenge, but it’s a powerful way to boost engagement, especially for our local students. They connect with music. It resonates with them,” he added.
Earn college credits leading to step reclassification
Teachers who complete the program receive 24 college credits from the University of Hawai‘i system. These credits count toward professional development and can be used to meet the 15-credit requirement for step reclassification through the HIDOE, resulting in a pay raise.
“One of the biggest benefits of Ka‘ohekani is that it supports teachers not just with culture-based content, but with advancement,” Kimokeo said. “They gain valuable skills and also become eligible for higher compensation.”
Tuition support available through community partnerships
The total cost of the Ka‘ohekani program is $3,144, but thanks to generous support from community partners — including the Alaka‘ina Foundation, Hawai‘i Pacific Foundation, and INPEACE — most participating teachers receive full or substantial scholarships.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure that cost isn’t a barrier,” Kimokeo said.
“With support from our partners, we’ve been able to subsidize or fully cover tuition for most of our teachers. So if you know a public school teacher in Hawai‘i, please let them know about this opportunity to learn Hawaiian music from some of the best musicians in the state — and to qualify for a step raise at the same time,” Kimokeo added.
Educators will learn about Hawaiian music, curriculum design
The program includes instruction in both Hawaiian music performance and cultural integration. In the first semester, participants focus on musical skills, including how to play the ‘ukulele. The second semester emphasizes curriculum design, helping teachers apply Hawaiian music in their own classrooms.
All instruction is asynchronous and designed to support full-time teachers. Instructors include award-winning musicians and cultural practitioners such as Raiatea Helm, Jeff Peterson, Kapena De Lima, Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, and Dr. Kamuela Kimokeo.
Apply ASAP for the remaining openings; Final deadline Aug. 1
As of June 26, only 24 of 40 teacher slots remain in the program. The application deadline is Aug. 1, and the program begins Aug. 25.
Interested Hawai‘i educators should email:
Dr. Kamuela Kimokeo – kamuelam@hawaii.edu
Haʻaheo Pagan – paganj@hawaii.edu
They will provide guidance through the application and registration process.