Growing bonds between the Lanai Community and Lanai High & Elementary School with Kamoku Ulu
Sadie Schilling speaks with Kamoku Ulu student leaders. Photo courtesy of Anthony Kaauamo.
“Aunty Sadie."
It's an honorific title that makes Sadie Schilling pause. Has that much time really passed since she was a student at Lanai High & Elementary School (LHES)? "I already had a couple of the high schoolers call me aunty, and I'm like, whoa! Wait, I'm not Aunty status yet… but I'm fine with the little ones, like elementary, calling me aunty,” she said with a smile.
After graduating six years ago in 2017, Sadie is a regular presence on campus again, but this time not as a student. She has returned as the program manager for Kamoku Ulu, a program introduced this school year and run by the Lanai High & Elementary School (LHES) Foundation.
Backed by a one-year $120,000 grant from the Hawaii State Department of Education's Community Schools program, Kamoku Ulu addresses the challenge of connecting LHES with the wealth of resources within the broader Lanai community. These challenges, stemming from academic responsibilities, staff turnover and the absence of a centralized information hub, impact faculty, staff and students alike.
"There are times when teachers and staff are overwhelmed, and the community might not even be aware of what's going on in the school. They just needed a bridge to connect them with those resources because our community wants to support our kids and teachers,” said Natalie Ropa, president of the LHES Foundation and administrator for Kamoku Ulu.
The name "Kamoku Ulu," gifted by Pamela Alconcel, carries deep significance. "Kamoku" references the ahupuaʻa where Lanai City and the school are located, while "Ulu" embodies the program's mission to nurture the growth and development of Lanai.
When the LHES Foundation was awarded the grant, Natalie had one goal: find someone who fit the program's spirit. She picked Sadie, whose family is tight-knit and community-involved across generations. After college in South Dakota, Sadie returned to Hawaii to work in Honolulu. "Aunty Nat asked me while I was in Oahu,” Sadie said, “and I was already planning to move back home. It felt like a sign to work with kids and the community. I've always wanted that. This is my calling.”
An advisory committee consisting of local community members is in the works with the aim of fostering collaborative partnerships. "It's like a tree branch — you have one committee, and they can connect us to all the other resources we might not be personally connected to," said Sadie. The committee will meet monthly with the hope that the collaborative network will make it possible to organize impactful events and initiatives for the benefit of the school community.
Sadie’s role in Kamoku Ulu isn't just about resource coordination; it's also about nurturing leadership among high school students. The program has four ambassadors known as alakai, and eight representatives referred to as lunas. Her goal is to mold them into the leaders they have the potential to become. She shares her personal journey with these students, emphasizing her own path of leaving the island, gaining experiences, and ultimately returning to give back to the community. She hopes to instill in them the belief that they can follow a similar path and make a positive impact.
One of the ways Kamoku Ulu tries to promote a thriving school community is through events like Lokahi Day, which took place on September 4th, and was organized by the LHES Foundation and as its inaugural annual event to commemorate the start of the new school year. During this event, high school students took on the role of mentors for elementary students, guiding them through the various booths, games and activities. “Our younger kids naturally look up to the older ones because they represent everything they want to be,” Natalie said, “and these shared experiences can have a real impact on our kids' lives. It can then be passed down, generation after generation, to the next younger kids.”
Looking ahead, Kamoku Ulu envisions LHES as a dynamic place where students not only gain knowledge but also create lasting memories. There are plans in motion to reintroduce school dances, offering students opportunities for both education and fun.
As for Sadie's role, while high schoolers might not be able to call her “Aunty” anytime soon, her work is to build an 'ohana connection within the school community — a bond rooted in care and a commitment to achieving success through collaboration. “I really want our school to function like an ohana. That is the number one thing. If we could do that, it would make everything happen more naturally.”