Chris Ibarra’s journey from student to teacher is one fueled by perseverance, passion and a commitment to his community. The �鶹��ý Island native graduated from Konawaena High School in 2000 and completed the two-year automotive program at in Hilo in 2002, under instructors Ken Shimizu and Harold Fujii.

Today, Ibarra is giving back by teaching the next generation of mechanics through a partnership that he helped to establish between the �鶹��ý Department of Education (DOE) and .

Through Early College, students at Kelakehe High School can earn college credits toward a degree in from �鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ�.

Kalei Haleamau-Kam, director of �鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ�, said “The enrollment numbers have grown in Automotive Technology, and the program is going strong because of the internal support that the DOE has given the program and the partnership of the workforce community. The Automotive Technology model has inspired other programs, such as offering Culinary Academy classes at Konawaena, a sustainability certificate at Kohala, and others in the making.”

The rough road to teaching

Post-graduation, Ibarra’s early career included a short stint at Island Chevrolet and years alongside his father at Randy’s Repair.

After working as a mechanic for Nanea Golf Club, Ibarra’s former high school teacher, Butch Hughes, asked him for help with a truck—reigniting his connection to teaching. Ibarra started as a part-time teacher at Kealakehe in 2007 and was hired full-time as a temporary emergency hire the following year.

The road to becoming a certified teacher wasn’t easy, and Ibarra squeezed by for about seven years. He eventually earned his alternative Career and Technical Education certification in 2016 through Leeward Community College after multiple attempts at the exams.

“So many Leeward CC and Kealakehe teachers were rooting for me and helping me,” he said.

Driving futures forward

On the cusp of his sixth year of teaching through the Early College program at �鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ�, Ibarra is seeing the impact firsthand. About a dozen of his students graduated in May.
“We do a lot of high tech stuff,” Ibarra said. “And the kids, that’s where they find their home—in auto shop. They’re good with their hands. They’re smart kids. They’re really good kids.”

Despite the challenges and pay cut that came with switching from the private sector to teaching, Ibarra knows he’s where he belongs.

“I had students graduate, and I see them in the community,” Ibarra said. “It’s worth a lot more than the pay.”

Through his dedication, Ibarra is proving that giving back can drive futures forward.

For Drew Camacho, the journey from addiction to academic success has been transformative. A former heroin user, the �鶹��ý Island native spent more than a decade in a destructive cycle of substance abuse, felony charges and incarceration.

“Looking back, I think I’ve always kind of had issues with substance abuse. No outlets, no real support,” Camacho said. “And as a local boy, like our culture—we don’t talk about these kinds of things. We don’t tell anybody, ‘Hey, I need help.’”

After serving 16 months in prison for multiple violations, Camacho was given an unexpected opportunity that changed his life—a chance to enroll in a treatment program at Bridge House in Kailua-Kona. During his time at Bridge House, Camacho worked on his recovery in a 7-acre lychee farm and in the garden. However, when it was time to transition out of treatment, Camacho was unsure of his next step. That’s when a counselor introduced him to .

Pālamanui gives ‘peace’

Camacho enrolled there in 2021, initially pursuing a certificate in substance abuse counseling, while working at Bridge House. However, after experiencing burnout, he pivoted to liberal arts and found his true passion in caring for the land, with the help of mentors such as lecturer Richard Stevens and academic advisor Kalei Haleamau-Kam, who is now the director of �鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui.

After taking a history class from Stevens that emphasized love of and service to the land, Camacho started working in the campus’ botanical garden.

“I started learning about my (Hawaiian) culture, and doors just started opening,” Camacho said. “And I love that place. It gives me peace.”

He teared up, describing Stevens as a father figure and a friend, whom he joins with in the lava fields and the trees of the Pālamanui Forest Preserve for conservation work almost every week.

Camacho said, “He’s lived an amazing life, and he’s passed on some of his morals and his values and his mindset to me to just keep going and take care of the land, and how important our land is.”

Stevens described Camacho as someone “solid” who impressed him from their first meeting.

“Whether in the classroom, or in the field preserving and restoring the endangered Hawaiian lowland dry forest and ancient Hawaiian trail system, Drew is there, not only backing up all that we do, but leading the way,” said Stevens. “He is a dynamic, humble and natural leader with a personal quest for excellence combined with an immense love and devotion to the ʻaina, the culture and his ‘team’ of classmates, teachers and community members.”

Haleamau-Kam added, “I am proud of Drew’s educational success. Watching him grow, push through challenges, and stay true to his goals has been nothing short of inspiring.”

Captain of the ‘Dream Team’

Camacho’s determination and resilience have inspired many around him. It is no surprise that he was selected to be the student speaker at Pālamanui’s commencement ceremony on May 17.

Stevens said, “I have been keeping in mind a ‘Dream Team’ of the top students I’ve had in almost 40 years of teaching—absolutely the most brilliant in the classroom and the most valuable in the field. Drew is the captain of that team.“

In the future, Camacho plans to take more classes in and pursue a bachelor’s degree online at UH Hilo through the UH education center at Pālamanui. His dream is to have a community-based substance abuse treatment center that focuses on reconnecting people to the land through growing food, agroforestry and farming.

Meet more amazing UH spring graduates

He has a message for his fellow graduates that resonates from his life experiences and from his heart.

“For those who are graduating, that’s a testament to the courage to keep going and the willingness to trudge through adversity,” Camacho said. “That’s pretty much my message—to continue, and don’t stop. This is not the end. This is just one chapter in the beginning of a new journey.”

—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

Susan Kazama has been recommended to be the next chancellor by University of �鶹��ý Vice President for Community Colleges Erika Lacro to UH President David Lassner. Her effective date of appointment is July 19, 2024.

“Susan Kazama is a home-grown chancellor who is dedicated to serving the diverse communities of the �鶹��ý Island,” said Lacro. “She brings her broad experience and commitment to the University of �鶹��ý to the position, and she will continue the work of this past year of reaching out to the local employers to ensure �鶹��ý Community College is training students for the local workforce needs.”

Kazama has been serving as the interim chancellor at �鶹��ý CC since July 1, 2023. She began her work in the UH system in 1987, starting as a librarian at UH Maui College and Honolulu CC. She spent 12 years at UH Mānoa’s Hamilton Library before accepting the library director position at Kapiʻolani CC in 2001. She served as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs at Kapiʻolani CC and Honolulu CC until 2021, when she became a program coordinator for continuing education at Kapiʻolani CC. She also served on the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges for seven years, including three years as the chair, past chair and vice chair.

“I am so grateful to have this opportunity to return home and serve the kauhale (group of houses comprising a Hawaiian home) and the community that I grew up in,” Kazama said. “�鶹��ý Community College offers not only access to higher education, but also workforce training for our community members who want to reskill and upskill for a higher paying job. I look forward to working with the dedicated faculty, staff, administrators and our community, to continue supporting our students and ensuring everyone who wants to pursue higher education has the opportunity to do so.”

Kazama is a product of public education in �鶹��ý. Born and raised in Hilo, she graduated from Waiākea High School and earned a masters in library science and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UH ����ԴDz�.

In a fitting tribute, the main entry road to has been officially named after the late Rockne Freitas, the former �鶹��ý CC chancellor who played a major role in developing the campus on �鶹��ý Island. Before Pālamanui opened in August 2015, West �鶹��ý had been the only major population center in the state without a permanent facility for higher education.

A dedication ceremony that included kīpaepae—a ceremony for the introduction and transition into new spaces—was held on February 10, when the new Rockne Freitas Way sign was also unveiled.

Raynette “Kalei” Haleamau-Kam, director of �鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ�, knew Freitas for decades and worked with him when he served as chancellor at �鶹��ý CC.

“I would like to mahalo Rockne for his leadership and tenacity to not give up on our community. Now it is up to us to continue his vision and preserve his legacy,” said Haleamau-Kam. “He would extend his hand to those in the back row, encouraging them to step forward and embrace greater opportunities to service the community. I am a testament to Rockne’s dedication to pulling people from the shadows and urging them to make a bigger impact.”

The UH Board of Regents approved the honorific naming in August 2023. Freitas, who died in 2022, served in many leadership roles at UH, including as �鶹��ý CC chancellor from 2004 to 2010. He was a driving force in securing funding and establishing the partnerships that would enable the �鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ� campus to be built.

When he served as chancellor of �鶹��ý CC, Freitas spurred Taupouri Tangarō, the current director of Hawaiian culture and protocols engagement for �鶹��ý CC and UH Hilo, to develop the kīpaepae. The ceremony is now requested to enrich special occasions and events about 50 times a year.

“Rockne did not lead from a distance, from behind closed doors. Rockne was in our offices, our classrooms, in our ceremonies,” said Tangarō. “It was clear, always, how proud he was of how we intersected Hawaiian culture and academics. Rockne’s famous saying, ‘What’s good for the Hawaiian is good for the world!” is true! When aloha is our anchor and our lead, nature smiles, and we smile. This is Rockne’s way!”

The symbolism of the naming of Rockne Freitas Way resonated with his family, who said that Freitas believed that education was a path forward.

“He said to be a lifelong learner. Every day you should be learning something different, and through that process of education, you are also building relationships. It was of huge importance to us growing up,” recalled son Makai Freitas.

Son Makoa Freitas said, “The legacy I would think he would want is one of education. How life really is all about education and through education you can change lives and you can do things for the better.”

�鶹��ý CC–������������Գܾ� offers associate degrees and certificate programs. The campus also serves as a , with more than 60 certificates, bachelor’s degrees and graduate degrees from campuses across the UH system.

—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

The main entry road to in North Kona, �鶹��ý is now “Rockne Freitas Way,” named in honor of the late �鶹��ý CC chancellor who played a major role in developing the campus.

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents (BOR) approved the honorific naming at the August 17 board meeting. Freitas’ sons, Makai and Makoa, both testified in support of the measure.

“Dad believed in education,” said Makai Freitas at the meeting. “He believed education was a path forward, so the (symbolism) of Rockne Freitas Way resonates a lot for us.”

�鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui opened its doors in 2015 after years of planning and construction. The new campus is also home to the �鶹��ý and created a permanent home for higher education in West �鶹��ý, which had been one of the most underserved regions of the state.

Freitas, who died in 2022, served in many leadership roles at UH, including as �鶹��ý CC chancellor from 2004 to 2010. He was a driving force in securing funding and establishing the partnerships that would allow the �鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui campus to be built.

“While at �鶹��ý Community College, he had a vision on ways to help the youth of West �鶹��ý and inspired the community to make the campus at Pālamanui a reality,” said Interim �鶹��ý CC Chancellor Susan Kazama in her testimony to the BOR. “His legacy is his strong advocacy and advancement of Native Hawaiians and other underserved populations. His impact on our college will always be felt. Naming the entryway after Rockne Freitas is an appropriate honor to preserve his legacy.”

Following his All-Pro career as an NFL lineman, Freitas served in several administrative roles during a 23-year career at the University of �鶹��ý. He was a pioneer in Native Hawaiian advancement, including as a leader in establishing �鶹��ý Papa O Ke Ao, a plan for UH to become the model Indigenous-serving higher education institution in the state and the nation.

Raynette “Kalei” Haleamau-Kam, the director of �鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui, has worked at the college for more than 30 years and has seen up close the transformation brought about through Freitas’ efforts.

“I would like to mahalo Rockne for his leadership and tenacity to not give up on our community,” said Haleamau-Kam. “Now it is up to us to continue his vision and preserve his legacy.”

�鶹��ý CC plans to host an event later in the semester to celebrate the honorific naming.

�鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui offers affordable, accessible higher education pathways for West �鶹��ý residents with associate degrees and certificates in nursing, culinary arts, natural science, liberal arts, Hawaiian studies and more. The degrees prepare students to enter the workforce right after graduation or transfer to a bachelor’s degree program to continue their studies.

The University Center, West �鶹��ý provides access and support for local students who want to enroll in online and hybrid bachelor’s and graduate degree programs from UH four-year campuses.

Susan Kazama has been appointed interim chancellor of effective July 1. Kazama replaces Rachel Solemsaas, who stepped down as chancellor in June after serving for seven years. The search for a permanent chancellor will begin in the fall 2023 semester with the convening of a selection committee. The search process is expected to run through 2024, with a target of having a permanent chancellor in place by July 2024.

The interim appointment of Kazama was made by University of �鶹��ý Acting Vice President for Community Colleges Della Teraoka after a solicitation for qualified candidates and candidate review. The appointment was then approved by UH President David Lassner and publicly posted.

“Susan has demonstrated her leadership in various roles in the community colleges, and she is committed to working with the administrative team, faculty, staff and community to ensure the college is meeting the needs of students while preparing them for the workforce on �鶹��ý island,” Teraoka said.

Kazama has worked in the UH system since 1987, starting as a librarian at UH Maui College and Honolulu CC. She spent 12 years at UH Mānoa’s Hamilton Library before accepting the library director position at Kapiʻolani CC in 2001. She served as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs at Kapiʻolani CC and Honolulu CC until 2021, when she became a program coordinator for continuing education at Kapiʻolani CC. She also served on the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges for seven years, including three years as the chair, past chair and vice chair during a turbulent time for the commission.

She is a product of public education in �鶹��ý. Born and raised in Hilo, Kazama is a proud graduate of Waiākea High School and earned a masters in library science and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UH Mānoa.

Efforts to protect tropical lowland dry forest in North Kona recently got a big boost as and the state D (DLNR) finalized an agreement to conserve a 706-acre parcel adjacent to the Pālamanui campus.

The Pālamanui Forest Preserve is home to a critically endangered type of ecosystem in �鶹��ý as less than 5% of tropical lowland dry forest remains since human settlement, according to experts.

Under the agreement, �鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui and the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) will collaborate to protect the area from various threats, such as wildfire and destructive animals, while using it as a living laboratory for students and community members.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the DLNR and DOFAW to protect and restore this threatened ecosystem,” said �鶹��ý CC Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas. “This conservation effort will contribute to carbon sequestration to combat climate change, create unique learning opportunities for the local community, and more. �鶹��ý Community College is committed to the principle of mālama ʻāina, and this project is one way we’re putting that value into action.”

Living laboratory

�鶹��ý CC–Pālamanui lecturer Richard Stevens has been taking his students and the community to the preserve to help with reforestation efforts for years.

In spring 2022, he took his History 151 students to gather seeds from ancient wiliwili trees to take to the State Tree Nursery. After the seeds are grown into young plants, some will be replanted around the “parent” trees as part of reforestation efforts.

“I think that having access to this land helps build relationships and helps community building within the school,” said student Jordyn Picadura.

Picadura said Stevens tried to instill a sense of responsibility in his students to take care of the land and give back.

Stevens said, “It will be part of the reforestation of the drylands here, which is our long-term objective to bring back the lowland dry forest to its former glory.”

For his dedication to nature conservation, Stevens was the from the U. S. Department of the Interior.

Gov. Ige plants tree

On June 24, Gov. David Ige got a close-up look at the Pālamanui living laboratory and planted another tree to count toward the to plant, restore and conserve 100 million trees around the islands by 2030.

That same day, the governor visited the campus, where Elliot Parsons of the UH Regional Species and Climate Change Management Network showed him the garden named “The forest of loved souls,” where native trees are being planted to increase their numbers.

Parsons said, “We need trees, the Earth needs trees, this island needs trees. When you have a personal connection with the trees you are planting, it takes it to an even deeper level.”

• Related UH News stories:
  • 706-acre Pālamanui forest preserve a ‘living laboratory,’ November 30, 2021
  • Ancient trail at �鶹��ý Community College–Pālamanui mapped, December 15, 2015

Former UH vice president for student affairs Doris Ching remembers Rockne Freitas

Rockne Freitas was a man dedicated to educational opportunity and success for all students and, especially, for Native Hawaiians and other student populations previously underserved and underrepresented in higher education. Whether he served the University of �鶹��ý as associate athletics director, vice president for university relations, or chancellor of a community college or four-year campus, Rockne never wavered from his advocacy for the educational success of Native Hawaiians—historically, one of the most underserved and underrepresented populations in higher education. His vision was to inspire Native Hawaiian students’ academic success as a means to elevate the economic and leadership status of Native Hawaiians in the State of �鶹��ý.

As associate athletics director, Rockne initiated the Student Athlete Guidance Education program to help student athletes succeed both in athletics and in academics. As vice president for university relations, Rockne—with the vice president for student affairs—visited every public high school on Oʻahu, �鶹��ý Island, Kauaʻi, and Maui and met with school administrators, college counselors and athletics directors to strengthen school-college relations and gain insights into how the University of �鶹��ý could more effectively serve students as they transitioned from high school to college.

• Related UH News:
  In Memoriam: Pioneering Native Hawaiian educator and athlete Rockne Freitas, June 14, 2022
  Statement by former UH President Albert Simone, June 14, 2022
  UH statement on the death of Rockne Freitas, June 9, 2022

More importantly, Rockne envisioned the University of �鶹��ý as the world’s model Indigenous-serving higher education institution in leadership development and community engagement, gaining Hawaiian culture and language parity for Native Hawaiians. He was instrumental in the development and adoption of the �鶹��ý Papa O Ke Ao Plan in 2012. As chancellor of �鶹��ý Community College and UH West Oʻahu, Rockne implemented the �鶹��ý Papa O Ke Ao Plan as he developed programs and steeped the campuses with Native Hawaiian culture and values. He furthered his vision with the buildout of the Pālamanui campus, a previously underserved region in higher education on the west side of �鶹��ý Island. Today, his expansion of UH West Oʻahu with programs, faculty and staff, and state-of-the-art facilities such as the Creative Media Center is a center of higher education access for the population on the westside of Oʻahu so that it is no longer a historically underserved area in higher education.

Rockne Freitas’ legacy is his strong advocacy, actions and accomplishments for the advancement of Native Hawaiians and other underserved and underrepresented populations with opportunities to succeed academically, financially, culturally and in leadership in the university and in the community for current and future generations.

—Doris Ching, former UH vice president for student affairs, associate dean of the UH Mānoa College of Education and UH West Oʻahu interim vice chancellor