Impact Stories - Le Jardin Academy Private School in Hawaii

Pōmaika‘i Scholarship Program

Launched in 2024, the Pōmaika‘i Scholarship Program provides full scholarships to promising Grade 7 students with significant financial need and strong potential for success at LJA. The scholarship covers 100% of tuition from Grades 7 through 12, along with wraparound support for learning technology, meals, transportation, and program expenses.

Pōmaika‘i Scholars are motivated students of good character who demonstrate academic promise. Preference is given to students from underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities, as well as first-generation college-goers. Local elementary schools, after-school programs, and Hawaiian civic clubs remain essential partners in connecting deserving students with this life-changing opportunity.

With its third cohort beginning in the 2026–27 school year, the program will support 15 Pōmaika‘i Scholars across Grades 7–9. The program is made possible through the generous partnership of the PWH Educational Foundation and Le Jardin Academy.

Generosity Amplifies Student Voices

Inspired by the possibilities of LJA’s new Arts & Innovation Center, LJA parent Chuck Mitsui envisioned students recording band rehearsals, creating vocal demos for college applications, and producing professional-quality podcasts for the community. His vision arrived at the perfect moment—before the walls were closed, allowing acoustic treatments and wiring to be seamlessly integrated into the building. Through a generous $120,000 grant from the Turner Farm Foundation, along with Chuck’s connection to an industry-leading sound professional, LJA created a state-of-the-art recording system designed to expand student learning and creativity. Plans are underway to integrate the technology into everyday learning through a Film Academy, radio station, and expanded opportunities for instrumental and vocal performers. A heartfelt mahalo to the Turner Farm Foundation for turning up the volume on student learning.

New Arts & Innovation Center

In January 2026, LJA opened the Arts & Innovation Center—a milestone made possible through the extraordinary generosity of our donor community. Located in the heart of campus, this 15,150-square-foot, student-centered space unites our Middle and High Schools and provides students in Grades 6–12 with new opportunities to create, collaborate, and bring their ideas to life. We are deeply grateful to every donor whose support transformed this vision into an inspiring place for learning.

One ‘Ohana, One Campus

The ALTRES Preschool Building opens on LJA’s main campus as we bid a fond farewell to our longtime Preschool home at St. John’s Church on Kailua Road. For the first time in LJA’s history, students from PK through Grade 12 will learn, grow, and collaborate together on one campus.

Alumni Making an Impact

We are deeply grateful to alumnus Mike Shapiro and his family, who gave back to LJA by establishing the Shapiro Family Scholarship with a generous $250,000 endowed gift in 2018. As the child of a Marine helicopter pilot, Mike attended LJA from second through fourth grade while his family was stationed in Kāne‘ohe. Inspired by the welcoming community and sense of belonging he experienced, Mike created this perpetual endowment to support students from military families. Since its establishment, more than 20 families have benefited from the scholarship, and his generosity will continue to provide students with access to the same care, connection, and sense of belonging that made LJA so meaningful to him.

Mobile Kitchen: A Community-Fueled Vision

Across cultures, food brings people together. At LJA, mealtimes nourish our students while creating opportunities for connection and deepening their relationship with ‘āina. In 2022, 116 generous donors helped LJA raise $140,000 to purchase a high-quality, pre-owned food truck and create an adjacent student commons where students can gather and enjoy freshly prepared, nutritious meals.

We remain deeply grateful to every supporter who brought this vision to life, including First Hawaiian Bank, which contributed $50,000, and Matson, which contributed $7,950. Their generosity created a welcoming space that continues to strengthen student well-being and community each day.

Academic Excellence Fund

Established in 2019 through a generous endowed gift from an LJA family, the Academic Excellence Fund provides annual recognition and monetary awards to exemplary faculty and staff. During the 2025–26 school year, LJA proudly honored Raquel Avila-Bermond for Excellence in Primary Education, Liz Cody for Excellence in Secondary Education, and Britt Jaeger for Excellence in Supporting Teaching and Learning. Selected through nominations from faculty, staff, students, and parents, these educators were celebrated for their innovation, compassion, and commitment to helping students thrive. With this year’s recipients, the fund has recognized 32 outstanding LJA employees—and, through the generosity of additional donors, will continue celebrating excellence for generations to come.