Kohala High School has an average student population of 252 students, with the two largest represented ethnic groups being Native Hawaiian (37%) and Filipino (29%). Through Piha Me Ka Pono, Liza works closely with the school to increase family engagement and reduce absenteeism. 

As a proud alumnus of Kohala High School who moved to Hawaiʻi at 16 years old, she understands the challenges of navigating a new school environment and overcoming language barriers. “A lot of the parents come to school, and they feel intimidated to speak to anyone or interact with each other,” she shares. “Engaging with the parents help them feel comfortable to approach staff members and get involved with their children’s journey through high school.” 

Liza’s approach to increased family engagement is hands-on. She works with the school staff to hand out event flyers on and off campus, and shares information about events with Kohala Mountain News. She is also the creator and moderator of a Kohala High School group on the Team Reach app, sharing announcements and resources to the school community. The community and students have grown accustomed to her friendly and welcoming presence around campus and at school events. 

One of her most impactful initiatives was an attendance incentive program. In the 2024-2025 school year, students who were on track each quarter to be below the chronic absenteeism rate at the end of the year had their name submitted into a drawing to win a PlayStation 5, provided by PIDF and thanks to Liza’s efforts. She also met with families of students with continued absences to problem-solve barriers to attendance. Kohala High School’s daily attendance rate went from 87% to 90%. 

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Kohala High School graduating class of 2025 honored Liza and Piha Me Ka Pono in their graduation ceremony. In a statement from Kohala High School they shared, 

“The Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF) has been an invaluable and integral part of Kohala High School and the broader Kohala community. Their efforts have consistently strengthened the relationship between the school and the community, fostering meaningful connections that have made many events and initiatives possible. Their dedication does not go unnoticed and is deeply appreciated by all. 

Through Liza’s efforts, our school has received impactful donations from PID, including iPads for teachers to enhance instructional support and bleachers for our football games. She has also provided vital classroom and art supplies, helping to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed and feel a sense of pride. 

Beyond these contributions, Liza has built strong relationships with families, attending school community council meetings, visiting homes, and coordinating EL family nights, making her a trusted and integral part of our community. She also worked directly with the vice principal to help students in the attendance boot camp reflect on their own attendance barriers and write clear goals for success. Her work has been a driving force in creating an environment where students feel supported, valued, and excited to come to school. 

We are truly grateful for the continued support of Partners in Development and hope they are able to carry on their invaluable work in the years to come.” 

Through trust and genuine care, Liza isn’t just connecting families to Kohala High School, she’s building a stronger community for generations to come. 

“Kids often walk to school from their homes, but 8 out of 10 times, they don’t make it because they stop at a friend’s house, and their parents aren’t aware,” explains Shonna Ontiveros, Piha Me Ka Pono’s Lead Community School Coordinator at Kealakehe Intermediate. While the surrounding school area is within a 1-mile radius, there is no public or school transportation available, and safety concerns about motorists persist. “One volunteer, on her own time, goes out every morning by the elementary school to man the crosswalk.” 

Inspired by a visit to a community school in New Mexico, Ontiveros brought the concept of a walking school bus program back to Kealakehe. Before launching, she collaborated with Hawaii County Safe Routes to School, Hawaii Police Department, and the Hawaii Department of Health to establish safety measures, and extended participation to Kealakehe Elementary School. 

A walking school bus is like a traditional school bus – but on foot! Adult volunteers lead groups of students along safe, predetermined routes to school, making scheduled “stops” to pick up more children along the way. Like a regular bus route, the group follows established paths with marked crosswalks and good visibility to ensure everyone’s safety.

The program launched on December 16th at 7:00am. Volunteers knocked on doors of registered students, gathering children ready for school. Approximately fifty students, primarily from Kealakehe Elementary School, joined volunteers on a safe route to campus. Participants were greeted by a festive inflatable heart mascot and received “walking tokens” redeemable for snacks or small prizes at week’s end.

Partners in Development Foundation continues to support these community-driven efforts through the Piha Me Ka Pono program, which partners with seven schools across Hawaii implementing the 7 Pillars of the Community School Model. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Walking School Bus, contact the Piha Me Ka Pono team via contact form here.

The grant will go to PIDF’s latest project, Piha me ka Pono, a new initiative at the Kohala Schools Complex on Hawaiʻi Island that cultivates partnerships to bring needed academic, health, and social support services for the students and their families.

“The Complex’s three schools are Title I eligible and it has been recognized that so many of the students are coming to school with excess baggage,” says Alison Masutani, PIDF Vice President of Operations and the Program Manager for Pili a Paʻa. “Unless we help to remove that baggage, no matter how strong the instruction is, the students will have difficulty learning.”

That ‘baggage’ Masutani is referring to includes poverty, food insecurity, and poor physical, mental or emotional health. One of the Project’s goals is to increase academic achievement of disadvantaged and under-served students through the development of after school enrichment programs that provide positive alternatives for students’ free time. Support from the Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne Fund will go towards two different mentorship programs: sports conditioning and music.

The Piha me ka Pono Project is an offshoot of the existing Pili a Paʻa program, which was created to build teachers’ skills in instructional delivery in order to raise student achievement, particularly for the Native Hawaiian students, and it is also at the Kohala Schools Complex.

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity with over 100 years of community service and is the leading philanthropic institution in the state of Hawaiʻi. HCF is a steward of nearly 800 funds – including more than 200 scholarship funds – created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. HCF distributes over $47 million charitable dollars to support improvements in our local communities annually. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector. For more information, visit their website.