Hawaii Preparatory Academy

The mission of the Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy is to provide exceptional
learning opportunities and a diverse community honoring the traditions of Hawaiʻi.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009-2010, Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy is an independent coeducational school providing a full range of opportunities for students from kindergarten through grade 12. Our boarding program admits students in grades six through 12.

The school has two campuses in the town of Waimea (Kamuela) on the island of Hawaiʻi. The Lower and Middle Schools are located on nine acres in the heart of Hawaiʻi's ranching country, while the Upper School is located just two miles away on a 200-acre campus at the foot of the Kohala Mountains. Read More...

HPA Welcomes new Administrators and Staff

Headmaster Lindsay Barnes recently announced the following administrative and staff appointments at Hawaii Preparatory Academy:

Robert McKendry, CPA, has been named chief financial officer. McKendry, a seasoned independent school financial officer, joins HPA from Parker School, where he served as business manager and treasurer since 2007. He previously held accounting and controller positions in Michigan and California. He holds two bachelor’s degrees—one in finance and management from the University of Oregon and one in accounting from Baker College.

Midge Jambor is the new K-8 principal. Jambor is returning “home” to HPA, where she taught grades 4-8 from 1979-1993. She brings 14 years of administrative experience and 17 years of teaching experience to the Village Campus. She most recently was the K-5 principal of Fammatre Charter Elementary School in San Jose, California. Prior to that, she served as assistant head of school at St. Andrew’s School in Saratoga, California. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon and holds two master’s degrees—one in English and curriculum and instruction from the University of Oregon and one in educational administration and policy analysis from Stanford University.

Robin Paraiso, who joined the HPA ‘ohana in December 2009, has been named director of human resources. Paraiso brings a wealth of human resources and corporate training experience to the school and is very active in the school community. She currently serves on the board of the ‘Ohana Association and was co-chair of the association’s Pumpkin Patch last October. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Emmanuel College.

Daniel Petrill is the new controller. Petrill has a wide range of accounting experience on the Big Island, including controller positions at Keauhou Beach Hotel, Hawaiian Abalone Farms, and MacFarms of Hawaii. He previously was chief financial officer and co-owner of Hamakua Sunrise Macadamia Plantations, Inc., and Hamakua Orchards LLC. Petrill earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University.

Tiare Judd Police has been named director of alumni affairs. Police, an HPA alumna who most recently served as advancement assistant at HPA, earned her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University. She previously worked as manager, team leader, and chiropractic assistant at Police Family Chiropractic. She is a member of one of three, three-generation HPA families and has been very involved at the school as a parent volunteer, ‘Ohana Association board member, and Alumni Association member.

Arati Clarry is the new advancement assistant. Clarry, an HPA alumna, will provide administrative and clerical support to the Advancement Office. She most recently worked as an accounting administrator at Hawaii Affordable Properties in Kailua-Kona. She is graduate of Bryn Mawr College and currently is working on obtaining her master’s degree from the University of Hawaii—Manoa.

HPA Middle School Names Honor Roll

The following Middle School students at Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) were named to the school honor roll for the fourth quarter.

Grade 6: Erin Evans, Bodie Freitas, Kana’ikai Gaughen, Erika Horton, Elizabeth Jim, Holly Kaapu, Nathan Ladwig, Austin Nakamura, Kristen Nielsen, Justin Perry, Kathryn Sensenig, Luke Taniguchi, Jordan Virtue, and Bradley White.

Grade 7: Jessie Ainslie, Hideyoshi Akai, Sofia Boucher, Oriana Brostek, Claire Derry, Sabrina Disney, Tehani Grasso, Tori Greco Hiranaka,Teelin Healy, Michael Ho, Haley Hubbard, Eliana Kaplan, Olivia Kirkpatrick, Mackenzie Langmade, Daniel Matsuda, Jacob McCafferty, Trevor Paraiso, Maiah Police, Tanner Sakurai, Noor Sarwar, Kaliko Smith, Connor Varney, Joli Ana Welch, Miller White, and Bryce Zeffert.

Grade 8: Kazuki Arakawa, Allexandria Blacksmith, Bo Bleckel, Kimi Cantyne, Hao-Yun Chang, Ryan Fujioka, Francesca Glaspell, Madison Inman, Anastasia Johnson, Roman Kandirovskiy, Alina Katase, Caylin Kojima, Veronica Ladwig, Seo-Yun Lee, Jennifer Lyon-Mackie, Alex Magoon, Pannawee Meekajit, Morgan Monahan, Erika Nielsen, Connor Peterson, Ki Wook Song, Michael Spetich, Caitlin Sterman, Kelly Ulrich, Kristiana Van Pernis, and Joon Sang Yoon.

To receive quarterly honor roll recognition, a student must achieve: a GPA of 3.5 or better; no grade below B-; elective grade of B+ or better; and conduct grade of A- or better.

HPA Hosts Third Annual Student Congress on Sustainability

High school students and teachers from the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Colorado gathered at Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) from June 1-4 for the Third Annual Student Congress on Sustainability 2010. About 80 students participated in the free, four-day event hosted by HPA and The Kohala Center.

The mission of the Student Congress on Sustainability is to celebrate, inform, and cultivate student-driven environmental initiatives addressing local, national, and global issues. By marshalling the enthusiasm, talent, and resourcefulness of young men and women, the Congress is one means of facilitating widespread education and collaboration among high school students, serving to cultivate and shape habits of mind that will translate sustainable ideology into practice.

Exercises Honor HPA Graduates

Click here to purchase the Commencment DVDs.

The Hawaii Preparatory Academy awarded diplomas to 76 members of the Class of 2010 at commencement exercises May 21 at Castle Gymnasium.

Jordan Hayslip, Upper School art teacher and senior class dean, gave the commencement address. Bridget Walker received the Headmaster’s Award and Sung Hyun Nam was named the Senior Scholar.

Slide Shows
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During a senior awards ceremony held on May 20, the following seniors also received awards: Founder's Award, Morgan Buckner; Walter Liu Memorial Leadership Award, Zachary Hopson; Kevin Kitagawa Memorial Bootstrap Award, Makoa Johnson; Phyllis A. Richards Theatre Arts Award, Makoa Johnson; Athletes of the Year, Todd Keoni Colson, Kaleikaumaka Konrad, and Ku’uipo Kalawai’anui Nakoa; Roy Fujimoto Senior Scholarship, Tayler Wang ; Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Champion Awards, Ku’uipo Kalawai’anui Nakoa (Triple Jump and 300M Hurdles); Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Foundation Hall of Honor Award, Ku’uipo Kalawai’anui Nakoa.

Eighth Graders Ready for High School

Forty-nine members of the Class of 2014 received certificates of completion at the Eighth Grade Transition Ceremony held May 20 at Gates Performing Arts Center. In his address, K-8 Principal Terry Factor shared words of wisdom and class speakers Caylin Kojima and Ryan Fujioka reflected on their HPA experience.

Character Virtue Awards were presented to:

Courage—Roman Kandirovskiy
Justice—Madison Inman
Loyalty—Morgan Monahan
Honesty—Caylin Kojima
Respect—Bo Bleckel
Hope—Walter Disney
Love—Kimi Cantyne
Overall—Francesca Glaspell

First Grade Students Win Scholastic Book Clubs' "Care Where You Are" Sweepstakes

Class Wins 500 Books to Donate to Local Charities of their Choice

“Our class learned about the power of giving this year, and now we can share our love of reading with our favorite local charities!”

Teri Chong and her first grade class at Hawaii Preparatory Academy just won the “Care Where You Are” Sweepstakes, a national sweepstakes sponsored by Scholastic Book Clubs, and will soon be donating their prize—500 books from Scholastic—to “From Kids for Kids,” a backpack project created by HPA eighth grader Nani Keli’iho’omalu Welch; Hawaii Montessori School, Kanu O Ka Aina, Kawaihae Transitional Shelter, and Small World Preschool.

The prizewinners were participants in Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare program—a philanthropic literacy initiative that encourages reading by asking classrooms across the country to read 100 books, and in turn, Scholastic Book Clubs will donate up to one million books to kids in need. HPA’s first graders read more than 2,000 books.

Ku'uipo Nakoa Named to Hawaii High School Athletic Association Foundation Hall of Honor

Senior Ku'uipo Nakoa will be among the 12 inductees at the 28th Annual Hawaii High School Athletic Association Foundation's Hall of Honor awards ceremony on June 6 at the Sheraton Waikiki on O'ahu.