The Arts & Innovation Center is nearly finished! 
After months of anticipation, we are excited to announce that construction of LJA’s new Arts & Innovation Center (A&IC) is complete!  Secondary students and faculty will move into their new classrooms this January! This vibrant new space – purpose-built for collaboration, creativity, and hands-on learning–unites arts, design, and innovation under one roof. This is the culmination of LJA’s One Build Project, a multi-year investment to build community and facilities capacity around the arts and design.

A Community Canvas for Innovation in Learning
The A&IC creates 15,500 SF of unified space for artistic expression, experimentation, and collaboration. From a makerspace and robotics classroom to a ceramic studio and spacious music and choral rooms, students and faculty will soon have inspiring new spaces to explore, create, and pursue new pathways in learning. Plans are also in the works to expand community programming, including a radio station, visual arts classes, ensemble performances, and exhibitions!

Make A Gift to Place Your Name
As we place furnishings and finishing touches on the A&IC, your gift can move the needle and cement your name in this legacy chapter for LJA! Every gift to the One Build Campaign—in any amount—will be recognized on the One Build Donor Wall, a lasting tribute to the kūpuna and families who have helped bring this transformative project to life for our campus. Join the campaign by making a special, year-end gift today! Your gift is tax-deductible for 2025 if received by December 31.

Congratulations to Bradley Pierce ’14, who was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 - Healthcare list. Bradley, 29, is a U.S. Army officer and general surgery resident physician whose groundbreaking work has led to the development of a novel life support system designed to prolong survival after traumatic abdominal hemorrhage. His research has received $1.2 million in federal funding and has the potential to impact care in emergency rooms and rural treatment centers.

LJA Secondary students Hailey P. ’28 and Alexis H. ’27 have been selected for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Western Region Honor Choir. This achievement marks the first time any LJA students have been accepted into an ACDA regional honor choir, marking a significant milestone for our music program!

HINow sat down with our cheerful Admissions Director, Jen Souza, to invite families to discover what makes LJA so special. LJA hosted its largest Open House ever this past November! With 348 guests on campus, many came to see the new preschool facilities. We are hosting another open house on January 24, 2026, and financial aid and scholarships are available!

Alumni Juliana Rhee ’21, LJA’s Local Impact Programs Manager, sat down with students to talk about their growing community partnerships. Given the honor of showing Hawaiian Nation leaders the Kahanaiki site, the visit centered around LJA’s partnership with DLNR and local Koʻolaupoko organizations, the power of collective impact, and fostering connections between humans and the ʻāina.