Maya Chong

Name Maya Chong

Age 30

Town/Moku Waimea

Island Hawaiʻi Island

Social Media Handle @mayailima

Nominated by Noelani Goodyear-Kaopua

Leadership Category Education

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

Aloha! My name is Maya Leiʻilima Chong. I was raised in Waimea and returned home after earning my teaching license and Bachelors Degree in Early and Elementary Education from Linfield College, now Linfield University, in Oregon. I have served my hometown community for the last nine years as a charter school elementary teacher at Kanu O Ka ʻĀina. I have held the position of kindergarten teacher for several years before focusing my work on being a curriculum coach, and intervention coordinator and teacher. This year I have returned to the kindergarten classroom. Besides being an educator, I have also been of service to my community as a high school volleyball coach, but have stepped away from this as I have been focusing on acquiring my Masters and raising kanaka of my own for the last few years. I have a soon-to-be three-year-old daughter and recently welcomed my second daughter earth side a few weeks ago. I am pursuing a Masters in Educational Leadership for Charter School Administrators and plan to graduate this coming spring. Throughout my M.Ed. coursework I have been committing my concentration to the mauli ola of charter school kumu. I truly believe that culturally-aligned, intentional working conditions would benefit our kumu, both Department and Charter. The retention and sustainability of Hawaiian Focused Charter School teachers is my priority. I have been researching systemic problems that burnout these kumu and I have been brainstorming ways to change practices and policies so that the system places kumu at the forefront with haumāna rather than a forgotten entity. My passion is to mālama kumu and their mauli rather than continue to task them with immense kuleana without supporting them to do so.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

My work as an elementary educator is important to me and my community because we are the seeds of change that is needed. As an educator at Kanu O Ka ʻĀina, I get to employ myself as a curriculum creator that caters to cultural values and lifestyles. We actively utilize ʻiku kuʻuna and moʻolelo as teachers and resources to solve problems of today's realities. My work as an educational leader who prioritizes the health and well-being of kumu in our community is important because there are no greater teachers for our keiki than teachers from our communities. By taking care of the mauli of our kumu, we take care of our community, we take care of our keiki, and we take care of our collective future and mauli.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

I admire leaders who illustrate authenticity, compassion and understanding, interpersonal communication, and innovation. I appreciate leaders who empower others through their awareness, empathy, and inspiration. Although I am still growing as a leader in my community, I strive to employ these qualities myself through innovative curriculum and proposing proactive perspectives and ideas. I am a direct communicator that expresses understanding and values openness. I believe in the potential I see in others and I aspire to help them see it too.

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

My late Aunty Natlee Kimura Oshiro and my mother, Teri Kimura Chong, were my first inspirations. My aunty was one of my preschool teachers and she illustrated her passion for kids and education by prioritizing the fun and play in learning new things. She was always thinking outside of the box and creating curriculum that met the needs and interests of her students. My mother as been a teacher for over thirty years, mostly in elementary. Although I was never her student, it was through her passionate care for her students that I was inspired to give back to our community through the same profession. My charter school colleagues and my M.Ed peer, Natalia Steinhorst-Soler, have inspired me to to do my work regarding equitable charter school working conditions.

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

innovation

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

colonialism