Namahana Education Foundation

As the very first public, tuition-free middle and high school for children on the North Shore of Kauaʻi, Namahana School is poised to address critical community needs in various ways. At a basic level, it will offer our families a geographically accessible post-primary school education, eliminating long commutes that rob children of valuable rest and recreational time. 

Partnered with Big Picture Learning, Namahana School’s learning model is a dynamic approach to education in which learners can deepen their relationship with the land and its resources, cultivate connections within their communities, and build critical skills that can be applied to real-world issues and meet the needs of the whole community, from keiki to kūpuna (student to elders).

Namahana Education Foundation (NEF) is an independent nonprofit organization established to advance Namahana School’s mission. For Namahana School, NEF manages the fundraising and construction process for the school campus, as well as generates ongoing community support to cover the operational costs not met by the state’s per-student allocation. NEF’s leadership includes established community leaders, as well as award-winning professionals in educational fundraising and philanthropic management.