| About Us
Mission Statement & Action Plan
The Lahainaluna High School Foundation recognizes the unique Hawaiian heritage of Lahainaluna High School and its significance to the community. The Foundation is an organization of interested community and alumni members whose vision is to preserve and perpetuate Lahainaluna’s culture and traditions, while providing the students and staff with funds and improvement projects that will promote excellence in the educational experience at Lahainaluna.
We will accomplish our goals through the following action steps:
- Encourage participation in the Foundation from students, staff, alumni and
community members.
- Maintain a positive working relationship with the school.
- Identify current and future projects that will serve to improve Lahainaluna High
School.
- Address those needs with alumni, the West Maui Community and other interested
parties in an effort to solicit support for the school.
- Educate the school, alumni and community on how the Foundation can improve
Lahainaluna and provide donors with the means to benefit those programs that are meaningful to the donor.
- Create sustainable programs and services that will inspire our community to participate in the educational process at Lahainaluna.
- Partner with outside businesses, foundations, educational institutions and individuals who can contribute to the betterment of Lahainaluna.
- Communicate the results of our success to our beneficiaries.
Lahainaluna High School Foundation: “Perpetuating the Torch of Excellence”
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Hale Pa'i Historical Site on Lahainaluna campus |
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History of the Lahainaluna High School Foundation
The idea behind creating the Lahainaluna High School Foundation started in the late 1990’s as a result of a fundraising effort for the Lahainaluna Band. Brian Kelly, retired band teacher of Lahainaluna High School, wanted to take the band to Europe on a band tour. This required a substantial amount of money, more than Hawaiian sweetbread could be sold in Lahaina, and Brian thought that he could solicit some large contributions from individuals, companies, or foundations. However, Brian Kelly found out that the task of soliciting donations for the Lahainaluna High School Band was not simple, and that donations were not tax deductible. Hence, raising enough money for a band tour to Europe just by baked goods and candy sales would be nearly impossible.
The Lahainaluna band did not go to Europe that year, but Brian did go to a community member whom he knew was very active on some mainland boards and foundations, Charles Fox. Charles Fox was a retired lawyer, and Brian discussed with him the possibility of a forming a foundation to support the band in upcoming years. Mr. Fox felt that a Foundation was a wonderful idea, but not just to support just the band, but to support one of Lahaina’s best assets and generations of Lahaina residents’ greatest pride, Lahainaluna High School.
In July 2000, the Lahainaluna High School Foundation became a bona fide private, non-profit organization, a 501 (c) 3 corporation as recognized by the IRS. Some key players involved with the set up of the Lahainaluna High School Foundation include Brian Kelly, Charlie Fox, Rob Shelton, Brian Blundell, and Andrew Kutsunai. In 2003, the Lahainaluna High School Foundation contracted Diane delos Reyes as the part-time Executive Director due to the Foundation’s rapid growth.
The Lahainaluna High School Foundation envisions a time when a class, club, teacher, team, etc. with a specific need, can apply and get what they require to effectively meet educational concerns. The Foundation would provide through Endowment Funds and specified donations. The Foundation is in a position to be able to accept designated donations and get them where they need to be in the school.
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Lahainaluna High School Map designed by Deyna Puckett. |
Lahainaluna Pride
The Lahainaluna campus, by any school standards, is an amazing one in terms of space and location. It has the only boarding department of any public school in the United States of America.
There are few communities anywhere in the world who have a school that dates back over 175 years. There are people living in Lahaina who graduated 80 years ago and there are people living all over the state of Hawaii and the world who regard Lahainaluna as their home base. A sense of culture and a pride of history exist at Lahainaluna that is unique. Maybe Kamehameha Schools on Honolulu, Oahu compares, but Lahainaluna’s beginnings go back farther and Lahainaluna has a Hawaiian alma mater.
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LHS Administration Building |
As West Maui grows and changes, it is Lahainaluna that will keep it grounded in history, tradition and in feeling like a small town in the middle of a bustling resort community. The sugar mill and cane fields are gone, but Lahainaluna is still there. Many people in the community feel really happy to have the privilege of supporting it and all of the people that have worked so hard to bring the Foundation to the place where it is today—a place that can really make a difference for Lahaina.
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