HBR Luncheon with Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

(Top Left to Right): Gary Kai, Colonel Christopher Busque, Representative Justin Woodson, Ms. Elaine Daly-Rath, and Brig Gen (ret.)/Dr. Kathleen Berg. (Bottom Left to Right): Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, Ms. Ansley Rudd, and Ms. Lois Rapp.

The HBR hosted a luncheon with Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, Ed.D, Director, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) and Ms. Lois Rapp, Pacific Director for Student Excellence, DoDEA Pacific. DoDEA operates 161 schools worldwide and ensures that all school-aged children of military families are provided with a world-class education. They have schools in 11 Foreign Countries, Guam and Puerto Rico.

We were also honored to be joined by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono. Senator Hirono has been a longtime supporter of the K. Mark Takai Foundation and served as the inaugural guest speaker at the first Transition Centers Best Practices Conference in March 2018.

DoDEA Pacific, under the leadership of Ms. Rapp has become an active partner with Hawaii Transition Centers. After participating in the K. Mark Takai Transition Centers Best Practices Conference, the Pacific Region adopted the program and by the end of this school year will have the program in all 46 DoDEA Pacific Schools. Schools are located in South Korea, Mainland Japan, Okinawa and Guam.

Transition Centers in Hawaii public schools were designed to support newly arrived, military-dependent students in navigating the challenges of integrating into a new location and school environment. Over time, Transition Centers have expanded their role and today provide the same safety net for all school children who have transient living circumstances.