At Kamehameha Schools, our keiki are at the center of everything we do. To be “keiki-centered” is the way we serve the lahui and fulfill the vision of Ke Ali‘i Bernice Pauahi Bishop. It is also our biggest transformation and an approach that has been generations in development.

What is our keiki-centered approach?

It is grounded in the cultural identity of our keiki. Through our commitment to Hawaiian culture-based education, we strive to have our haumana learn through their own culture, emulating the global ingenuity of their ancestors and devoting themselves to the care and advancement of their ‘aina. We know they will succeed because they are proud of their identity, strong in their voice, and empowered as leaders to help our lahui determine its own future, in its own homeland.

It is personalized to each of our keiki and their unique situation, including the needs of their ‘ohana; their talents, desires, and aspirations; and the places and ways they learn best. Through new digital technology, advanced logistics, and the emergence of global educational opportunities, we are moving into a future where our haumana are starting to personalize their learning in the classroom, digitally, and on the ‘aina, so they can successfully take their unique place as emerging Native Hawaiian leaders.

It is informed by and responsive to the experiences of our keiki and their ‘ohana. The experiences of all families throughout our islands are filled with so much joy and success — but are also extremely complex, filled also, more often than we would like to admit, with trauma.

This includes adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction; the resulting health and behavioral risks and stress can impact the well-being and learning of our keiki.

Our responses to this led us to now actively employ 19 behavioral health counselors and professionals, led by Kamehameha Schools leaders like Marisa Lloyd (Kapalama), Tracey Wise (Hawai‘i), Waianuhea Getgen (Maui), and Shannon Flynn (Preschools), who are trained to listen, understand, protect and advocate for our keiki.

It is dependent on partners who are similarly centered on supporting keiki, because none of us can do this work alone. This includes collaborating with dedicated professionals in education, healthcare, and social services and with government leaders, churches, private businesses, nonprofits, and foundations to uplift all our keiki in the islands.

One such valued organization is the Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC).

Through its 30 years, DVAC has provided support to all of us and so many of our keiki and their families, with its keiki-centered approaches; connecting to our keiki through cultural approaches, personalizing solutions, and bringing care that is responsive to experiences and trauma. And importantly, building up trust and bringing us together to support our keiki and address the issues of trauma and domestic violence.

In these times, as we still struggle with this pandemic, DVAC has become even more necessary: helping detect trauma and domestic violence in stay-at-home conditions, advising on teen relationships in social media and virtual spaces, and informing how stress built by trauma through generations can lead to systemic distrust.

It is this distrust, among other things, that has weighed so heavily on us as we try to come together on issues like gatherings, social distancing, masking and vaccinations.

Perhaps, it is here and now that we ought to turn harder to connective, interpersonal organizations, such as DVAC, for guidance and solutions. Amid today’s complex and unique challenges, they remain as important as ever to all of us.

Livingston “Jack” Wong is CEO of Kamehameha Schools. 

To mark this year’s 30th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Action Center, the Star-Advertiser will run a column each month this year to highlight aspects of the problem of domestic abuse. Authors will be from DVAC’s Council of Allies, formed to raise awareness about this communitywide issue.