HPA has been blessed with an extraordinary place on earth that we must steward. Likewise, the school has been blessed over the years with a student body that is distinctive among U.S. boarding schools and unlike any other in Hawai‘i. “We must ensure that HPA remains committed to the children of Hawai‘i and to a blended global school community,” says Head of School Fred Wawner. “All our programs and our strategic vision rest on HPA’s ability to admit and inspire Ka Makani of the future who are intellectually ambitious and purpose-driven. Financial aid is the key.”
Isabella DeHerrera ’24 grew up on Hawai‘i Island and came to HPA in eighth grade. A rising junior from Honoka’a, she’s still imagining the different ways her future may unfold, but she wants to support the well-being of others and thinks about becoming a lawyer. “I’ve grown up surrounded by people who had to work hard for everything they have,” she explains. “I’m very thankful for the opportunities and people in my life, and I imagine helping anyone who needs it by sharing a positive attitude or seeking justice. I want to be the person to help; I want to be there for someone when they feel like they have no one else.”
DeHerrera receives support from the HPA Faculty Big Island Scholarship Fund, established in 2001 by former HPA English teacher Bill Davis. Davis and his fellow donors wanted to make the HPA experience more accessible for Hawai‘i Island students, and recipients must have lived on the island for at least seven years. “By coming to HPA, I wanted to push myself to the limit to achieve my academic goals,” says DeHerrera. “I also wanted to share my knowledge and culture with others—the things I believe and enjoy—because I myself like hearing about different cultures and practices from other places.” Every year, financial aid upholds this kind of sharing and exchange at HPA. Thanks to aid donors, hundreds of talented students are able to take part in the HPA ’ohana who would not otherwise. Students from many different backgrounds inspire, support, and learn from each other. In this equation, everyone benefits. Financial aid makes possible the sense of community and aloha that Ka Makani treasure.
At HPA I do all that is possible to give back to the community. I am a student ambassador, a member of the DEI cohort, and a class representative, which offers a great privilege to give back by organizing Olympics and other fun activities for students to partake in. I genuinely care about being an active member of this community. Mahalo!”
Recognizing both need and merit
Thirteen years ago, generous HPA donors founded the Kūlia Fund to assist Upper School students who demonstrate both real financial need as well as outstanding potential in academics, community engagement, and extracurricular activities. The inaugural class included 13 young men and women from every major district on Hawai‘i Island. As a group, the Kūlia recipients represented—and continue to represent—a wide diversity of interests and ability to make a difference in the world. Since then, the fund has aided dozens of Ka Makani on their way to discovering greater purpose and possibility within themselves. Applicants are evaluated based on both financial need and merit.
“I am grateful to be able to live in Hawai‘i, my native home and ‘āina. I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to go to HPA and to immerse myself in the many offerings and abundance of different classes, sports, and programs. I am also thankful to have the chance to meet and interact with a multitude of people from all over the world.”
Overall, HPA believes that a strong school community should value many kinds of talent and life experiences. Consequently, the school welcomes dedicated funding to support exceptional students with demonstrated financial need, as well as students who may not demonstrate need, but are outstanding contributors to their school and community. Some of the funds that provide the latter type of aid include the Ho‘omau Scholarship Fund and the Kupaianaha Scholarship Fund, which was established this year to recognize Middle and Upper School students who are truly exceptional, evaluated on character alone.
“While homeschooling allowed me the freedom to explore and develop my interests, I longed to engage with a larger community, which drew me to HPA. … I’ve had the chance to run cross country with a team, take performing arts classes, learn Japanese, join debate club, and collaborate with fellow musicians. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!”
Growing up and gaining wisdom (of all kinds) within this community provides a life-changing perspective for aid recipients and, by extension, all Ka Makani. “What strikes me most about the HPA community is the diversity and yet inclusivity of the student body,” writes Megan Wolin ’24, a Ho‘omau scholar. “I’m awed to meet so many people from backgrounds different than my own and thankful for the special friendships I’ve made. … The diversity of HPA is woven into a beautiful community of students where there is a place for everyone.”
Why we must invest in our students Unfortunately, demographics and economics are working against the diverse composition of HPA’s student body. Families that can afford the full cost of tuition are coming from a smaller and smaller segment of the population. The need for financial assistance has grown dramatically and continues to escalate for all private schools, including HPA—spurred most recently by the COVID-19 pandemic. “When our team reviews a family’s Parent Financial Statement,” explains one member of the financial aid committee, “we have a good deal of data to help us determine a family’s need. We look at all sources of income, savings, debts, dependents … we account for the cost of living in Hawai‘i versus other states. And every year, there are many truly stellar applicants whose families have extremely limited ability to pay for tuition. Even with the aid packages we award, most families still have to cobble together some way to pay for more tuition than they can comfortably manage.”
To deal with this major challenge, HPA has a very modest endowment on which to draw, and it is not sufficient to meet the demand. The HPA Fund, along with special initiatives such as Alu Mai, contribute additional support, but given the number of families, it is impossible for HPA to fund a student’s full need. On average, HPA can cover only 55 percent of a family’s demonstrated need. Limited financial aid means that many talented, deserving students simply choose not to pursue an HPA education. Other families shoulder enormous financial stress, and are grateful for the portion of relief that HPA is able to provide. Meanwhile, HPA’s advancement team is continually working to increase financial aid endowment that will allow students to grow, dream, and make a difference. “Receiving the Kūlia Scholarship has meant helping to relieve my hard-working parents of a large burden not every kid has the chance to resolve,” reflects Gabriel Aiona ’23. “It has also given me a push and a boost in my own confidence about my academic ability. I do not take this honor lightly, and receiving a Kūlia Scholarship has been nothing short of a philanthropic ‘miracle’ in my world.”
“I’m striving to go to college for my future and I believe that HPA is the Holy Grail of all high schools in Hawai‘i. The academics and technology that HPA has to offer are so eye-opening and astonishing, I truly believe it will allow me to learn new things I’ve never imagined.”
The future of financial aid is the future of HPA
Short term, HPA seeks to increase the percentage of need that HPA can meet for each student, which will relieve undue pressure on young people and their families. Ultimately, the school aims to expand the total number of students it can assist. Above all, success will be measured by the lives and service of Ka Makani themselves. “I love asking my friends what their plan is after high school and hearing all of the amazing things they have planned,” says Della Stallsmith ’23, a Kūlia Scholarship recipient. “To be surrounded by kids like this every day is a great privilege. I know my peers will accomplish incredible things! They give me hope and inspire me that my generation will make the world a better place, a more loving and accepting place. They inspire me to take action and do the same.”
HPA is working to expand financial aid resources so that the school can assist more families more completely. If you’d like to help or have questions, contact Hannah Hind Candelario ’01, director of advancement, at hcandelario@hpa.edu.