Help Karin Hansen del Rey go to Harvard

I love our Red Raider community, but our educational system needs a change. I’m asking for your kokua to make this happen. I have been accepted to Harvard Graduate School for a Masters degree in Educational Policy and Analysis, and am raising money for the tuition, books, and living costs. Each year’s expenses are estimated to be 92,000.00 per year. Why Harvard? Because this is the institution that came to me in a moe uhane, a dream: go to learn how to change the world! It is truly humbling to ask for your help, but I care so passionately for our students and teachers that I want to go “forth to learn, come back to serve.” I want to make this town proud as we grapple with the coming times and the changes they may bring. Why should our schools suffer from furniture that breaks and books that are old? Why do a majority of teachers work an extra part-time job? (I work two part time jobs in addition to full-time teaching in order to survive, and I will be working all summer to help fund my education). Why do some of our students turn away from the traditional school setting, and what might we do to support them? I want to find out the answers to these questions and to ask the community for their thoughts and ideas to find where we can do more, achieve more, “kulia i ka nu’u.” (Strive for the highest.)

 

“This is the place where dreams come true.” Our place, our little country towns, our community; I am constantly amazed and impressed by the people I encounter daily: teachers, students, administration, businesses and people of the neighborhood. I have seen my students overcome hardship and shine with success in school. One Senior student shared with me, “I was practically flunking out my Sophomore year, but now I have straight A’s!”

 

Many of you know me as Mrs. Hansen del Rey. (Mrs.HdR) I teach 9th grade English and am a National Board Certified Teacher, Senior Class Adviser (2022!), NHS Adviser, and Head Faculty Rep at KHIS. I serve on the Executive Board of the Windward Chapter of HSTA, and I am an elected NEA Delegate going to the National Education Association convention in Chicago this summer to help mold national education policy. I have taught 20 years at Kahuku High and Intermediate School, and though Hawai’i is my one hanai, my adopted land, it is home. I speak Hawaiian, and my four daughters have attended Hawaiian Immersion School. I will return to Hawai’i to be an instrument for positive change for the state educational system. Hawaii should be at the forefront of education nationally. We have amazing, talented, dedicated teachers, and we have phenomenal students willing and ready to learn. I dream of giving back to my beloved community. Red Raiders for life!

 

I had a dream to own a house. My husband built two beautiful homes in our neighborhood of Hauula, unfortunately we trusted a dishonest business partner. The result: no home and bankruptcy, so I am asking for help to fulfill this lifelong dream of going to graduate school to learn more, seek more, to come back to give more. I am applying for scholarships, financial aid, and working extra jobs during to assist in this endeavor, but the reality is that a year sabbatical from the DOE will pay half of my salary, and the second year of Graduate school would have to be a leave without pay.

 

I have struggled with addiction and adversity. I am a recovering alcoholic with almost two decades of sobriety. I have never given up on my faith and the hope that I will do better each day. I offer a free yoga class to the community once a week and volunteer to teach 5th and 6th graders at church weekly. Please believe me, if you are able to help in any way, I will be so grateful and I will be back, to ko’u home to stand up to fight for our teachers and our students to have the best, do the best, and be the best nationally. Hawaii’i Education; we will rise!