{"id":26180,"date":"2026-10-28T09:56:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T19:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=26180"},"modified":"2026-10-28T13:11:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T23:11:41","slug":"2026-national-career-academy-coalition-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/2026-national-career-academy-coalition-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Ka\u02bb\u016b High &amp; P\u0101hala Elementary, Molokai High first schools in the country to earn national designations for academy programs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nine Hawai\u2018i public schools were recognized for their outstanding career academy programs at last week\u2019s 30th annual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncacinc.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ncacinc.com\/\">National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC)<\/a> conference in Orlando, Fla. including two small, rural Hawai\u2018i schools that achieved historic national firsts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ka\u02bb\u016b High &amp; P\u0101hala Elementary (KHPES) became the first K-12 Model Academy with Distinction in the country, with a comprehensive academy program structure that spans throughout elementary, middle and high school levels. KHPES offers five different K-12 academy pathways:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u0e28\u0e34\u0e25\u0e1b\u0e27\u0e31\u0e12\u0e19\u0e18\u0e23\u0e23\u0e21 \u0e2a\u0e37\u0e48\u0e2d \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e04\u0e27\u0e32\u0e21\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e19\u0e40\u0e17\u0e34\u0e07<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u0e40\u0e01\u0e29\u0e15\u0e23\u0e01\u0e23\u0e23\u0e21 \u0e2d\u0e32\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e23 \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e17\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1e\u0e22\u0e32\u0e01\u0e23\u0e18\u0e23\u0e23\u0e21\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e15\u0e34<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e23\u0e34\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e14\u0e49\u0e32\u0e19\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e15\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e19\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a \u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e17\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e07\u0e40\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e22\u0e27 \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1e\u0e31\u0e01\u0e1c\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e19<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e23\u0e34\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e14\u0e49\u0e32\u0e19\u0e2a\u0e38\u0e02\u0e20\u0e32\u0e1e<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e28\u0e36\u0e01\u0e29\u0e32<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At KHPES, students in grades K\u20136 focus on career exposure, grades 7\u20138 engage in career exploration and grades 9\u201312 participate in hands-on career experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u02bbO Hina i Ka Malama, the Hawaiian Language Immersion Academy at Molokai High School became the first Hawaiian immersion academy in the country and earned the Model Academy with Distinction certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u02bbO Hina i Ka Malama students function as cultural practitioners who fulfill vital roles in island leadership, environmental stewardship and the preservation of the Hawaiian Language on Molokai, empowering them to become responsible and conscientious community members. Students also participate in field studies across diverse ecosystems on Molokai, spanning from mauka to makai, to document essential flora, fauna, and natural and cultural resources. In 2025, the program expanded to serve as a satellite program for Molokai Middle School students in grades 7\u20138.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHaving \u02bbO Hina i ka Malama nationally recognized as a Model Academy with Distinction is both a profound honor and a validation of the high-caliber education provided to our students,\u201d Molokai High School Principal Katina Soares said. \u201cThis achievement is a testament to the dedication of our educators \u2014 most notably Kumu Mahina Hou Ross, whose leadership has anchored the program since its inception over 25 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We are proud to highlight groundbreaking milestones in our career academy network. Ka\u02bb\u016b High &amp; P\u0101hala Elementary has officially achieved distinction as the first K-12 Model Academy with Distinction spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels\u2014a testament to seamless, lifelong career-connected learning,&#8221; said Jay Steele, National Career Academy Coalition president. &#8220;We also proudly recognized Molokai High School as the first Hawaiian Immersion Academy in the country, blending rigorous academic standards with deep cultural roots and community identity.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_0253.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Molokai High School staff at the National Career Academy Coalition conference. Photo courtesy: National Career Academy Coalition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The NCAC recognizes high school career academies that show exemplary performance in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncacinc.com\/resources\/nsop\/\">National Standard of Practice (NSOP)<\/a> through a review and accreditation process. Academies can earn a rating of: model with distinction, model, certified or in progress. To reach the model with distinction level \u2013 the highest level of recognition \u2013 a school\u2019s career academy must meet or exceed proficiency in all 10 NSOP criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The annual NCAC conference brings together educators, industry leaders, and community partners from across the country who are shaping the future of student success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, the following schools received model academy honors from the NCAC:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2026 NCAC Model Academies with Distinction:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Highlands Intermediate School (Pre-Academies)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ka\u02bb\u016b High &amp; Pahala Elementary School (Academies of Ka\u02bb\u016b)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kailua High School (Ready to SURF Academy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Molokai High School (\u2018O Hina i Ka Malama)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Waikele Elementary School (Waikele Academy Pathway Program)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Waipahu Intermediate School (Pre-Academies)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2026 NCAC Model Academies:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2018Aiea High School (Academy of Innovation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2018Aiea High School (Academy of Aspiring Professionals)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kapolei High School (Arts &amp; Communications Academy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kapolei High School (Law &amp; Public Safety Academy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kapolei High School (Academy of Innovation, Business &amp; Technology)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Molokai High School (Academy of Community Service, and Sustainability)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;This achievement is proof that when a rural school thinks outside the box, no barrier is too great,&#8221; said Ka\u02bb\u016b High &amp; P\u0101hala Elementary\u2019s Academy Director, CTE Coordinator and Instructional Coach Dexsilyn Navarro. &#8220;By inviting our community, staff, alumni, parents and students to walk alongside us, we are creating rigorous, meaningful learning experiences that prove our students can access the exact same opportunities as anyone else\u2014and dream bigger for their futures.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Navarro was also recognized at the conference as the recipient of the NCAC John Thompson Exemplary Educator Award. Navarro is also a graduate of the school and returned as a teacher in 2003.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nine Hawai\u2018i public schools were recognized for their outstanding career academy programs at last week\u2019s 30th annual National Career Academy Coalition conference in Orlando, Fla. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":26182,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"856,893,1022,1619,1622,1623","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","wp_popup_display_lightbox":0,"wp_popup_suppress":"","wp_popup_trigger":"","wp_popup_trigger_amount":0,"wp_popup_disable_on_mobile":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-homepage","category-news"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":32,"label":"Featured - Homepage"},{"value":21,"label":"News"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/KauHigh-NCAC-1024x512.jpg",1024,512,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Kim Yuen","author_link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/author\/kimberly-yuenk12-hi-us\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":32,"name":"Featured - Homepage","slug":"featured-homepage","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":32,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":32,"category_count":1,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Featured - Homepage","category_nicename":"featured-homepage","category_parent":0},{"term_id":21,"name":"News","slug":"news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":21,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":383,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":21,"category_count":383,"category_description":"","cat_name":"News","category_nicename":"news","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26180\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}