The seven Lānaʻi High School seniors graduating with both a high school and college diploma (from left to right): Kimora Agliam, Hannah Mae Lee, Myah Doolin, Kelly Raqueno, Jake Ropa, Spencer Chew and Micah Kahihikolo. Photo credit: Talia Agliam
A record number of seniors at Lāna‘i High & Elementary School are graduating this year with both a high school diploma and an associate degree from the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
“This is a landmark moment for Lānaʻi High and Elementary School. Seeing seven of our 48 seniors earn their associate degrees from UH Maui College is a win for these students and for our entire community,” LHES Principal Douglas Boyer said. “These seven have proven that geography is no barrier to academic excellence. My hope is that our younger students look at their tenacity as the true meaning of being a TORCHbearer.”
The number of LHES seniors earning their associate degrees while in high school has been steadily growing over the past decade.
“We have been building the college-going culture here at the school over the last 10 years,“ LHES Vice Principal Michele Holsomback said. “Now, students and parents filling out the FAFSA form is becoming routine. Students have their post-high school plans, whether it is college, work, military or trade school.”
The dual enrollment program began at Lānaʻi High 10 years ago with support from Pūlama Lānaʻi and UHMC’s on-island annex, the Lānaʻi Education Center (LEC). Between 2021 and 2025, a total of seven students graduated with their Associate of Arts degree. The Class of 2026 matched that four-year count in a single year and the Class of 2027 is on track to repeat that feat. Momentum is growing — 15 incoming freshmen will begin their degree journey this summer. LEC offers Lānaʻi students advanced educational opportunities to further their college and aspirational career goals.
Natalie Ropa, satellite manager for LEC and a parent of one of the graduating seniors, attributes the program’s extensive benefits as a reason for the increased interest. The program offers seamless, viable credits at the university level at a third of the price, saving families two years of time and tuition while exposing students to college-level academics. Another byproduct of the cohort is the tight bond the students create with each other.
“These students have been together since preschool and elementary school and the parents know and trust each other. The biggest thing has been hosting their distance learning at LEC. They challenge and push each other,” Ropa said. “In a rural community, families talk. I see a bright future ahead with students wanting access to the pre-college pipeline.”
In a small town like Lānaʻi City, these students are teammates on the field, study partners in the library and classmates for life. Their dual credit pathway inspires younger students, showing them that earning a college degree while still in high school is both an exceptional and attainable goal.
College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Major: Edukasyon
“I decided to strive for my associate degree because I knew I was dedicated and that this was the most efficient way for me to go about my educational career. I was also inspired by my sister Talia Agliam who also received her associate degree while in high school.”
College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Major: Mechanical engineering
“I got to experience college-level classes, which gave me a good taste into what I could expect in those higher level classes. It also allowed me to push myself more, which built my motivation and work drive.”
College: Oregon Institute of Technology
Major: Civil Engineering
“You’ll set a long-lasting impression on the younger generations of Lāna‘i to pursue their goals and show them that even though we are from a small island, we should never put a limit on what we can achieve.”
College: Honolulu Community College
Major: Automotive Engineering
“I would recommend they take the A.A. track. The process is hard but there are many benefits when taking this track. It gets you ahead of the game while still being in high school.”
College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Major: Pre-med
“On Lānaʻi, we aren’t open to a lot of opportunities like taking environmental classes or electives relating to what we want to do in the future; that is why I decided to take college classes.”
College: Creighton University
Major: Nursing
“If I could leave one message behind, it would be that you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to succeed; you just have to be the one who is willing to try. As long as you show up and give it your best effort, you can achieve more than you ever thought possible!”
College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Major: Journalism
“Thank you to my parents, Natalie and Kaleo Ropa, to my little brother for pushing me to pave the way for him. Lastly, thank you to my two best buddies Micah and Spencer for taking on this challenge with me and being there for me since the beginning.”
