KAPOLEI, HI (September 9, 2024) – The only school of its kind serving the West Oʻahu community, Island Pacific Academy (IPA) is ushering in its 20th Anniversary with the launch of Navigator Week 2024, a vibrant and commemorative series of events celebrating two decades of academic excellence. From September 9-13, IPA is hosting a variety of activities to connect supporters, alumni, and current and prior IPA families, faculty and staff with opportunities to share in cherished memories and community spirit. The week of festivities culminates on the 13th—the day IPA first opened its doors to students on Sept. 13, 2004—with a Founder’s Day Celebration and an introduction to a new Families and the Future campaign for empowering the next generation of Navigators.
“Navigator Week is not just an opportunity to reflect on our dynamic past, but to recognize the present and look forward,” said Head of School, Gerald Teramae. “As we bring together our community to celebrate the journey we have embarked on over the past 20 years, it is also a pivotal time to ensure our school is well positioned for the next 20 years in making education excellence accessible to all students. Our Families and the Future campaign, rolling out our first multi-million dollar endowment, will provide a strong, sustainable foundation from which we can continue to serve our community with a vibrant curriculum from a campus where students come first and values matter.”
The weeklong celebration kicks off with a special 20th Anniversary Student Breakfast followed by a Kapolei Chamber Pau Hana event where members of the business community will join IPA leadership to mark the milestone. Later festivities include a Forever Navigator Social for alumni, and a heartfelt talk story featuring current and past faculty sharing stories that reflect IPA’s enduring values. The Founder’s Day Celebration, hosted by Teramae and IPA founders Dan and Judy White and Larry Caster, rounds out the week with the entire IPA ʻOhana, featuring live music, food trucks, a curated art show, and more. It will also provide a platform for simultaneously sharing the Families and the Future campaign with core constituents, and galvanizing support for its goals.
Under the direction of the Head of School and Advancement Team, the campaign is set to strengthen IPA’s foundation by both establishing a transformative new endowment and growing the Navigator Fund, the school’s critical annual fund. This dual approach will help safeguard long-term financial health, enhance educational programs, and support the school’s diverse community. IPA is set to raise $3 million over three-five years to establish the endowment and to bolster the Navigator Fund, creating a pathway that supports scholarships and financial aid, broadens extracurricular and academic offerings while maintaining small class sizes, and grows a financial resource for the ongoing improvement of facilities and technologies.
“Currently, more than 30% of IPA students need financial aid, and the school works tirelessly to ensure that 100% of those students receive some type of financial help,” said Director of Advancement, Kaʻiʻini Aranaydo. “As this endowment grows over time, so will IPA’s ability to support students and keep pace with rising demand. Through Families and the Future, our school is not only sustaining but advancing the promise of accessible education excellence in the West Oʻahu community.”
Island Pacific Academy invites the media to join in covering these significant events and sharing the stories of the community, dedication and achievement that define IPA. For more information about Navigator Week and learning opportunities for every student, please visit www.islandpacificacademy.org. To learn more about the seamless ways to support the dynamic new endowment campaign, please visit www.IPAFamiliesandtheFuture.org.
About Island Pacific Academy
Founded in 2004, Island Pacific Academy (IPA) is an independent, non-profit, co-educational, college preparatory school located in Kapolei, Hawaiʻi. As the only private school serving grades K-12 in the West Oʻahu community, IPA is dedicated to empowering students to become navigators of change in their own lives and in the world. Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools (HAIS), IPA is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). With a commitment to academic excellence, character development, and community service, IPA provides a nurturing and challenging environment that inspires students to achieve their full potential.
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