Shannon Bucasas

Name Shannon Bucasas

Age 40

Town/Moku Waiau

Island Oʻahu

Social Media Handle @activate_your_activism

Nominated by Kahea Peleras

Leadership Category Mālama ʻĀina - Environmental Sustainability

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

I am from Kekaha on the island of Kauai. I currently live in Waiau and teach in the Natural Resources Academy at Waianae High School. My class focuses on providing students with place and culture based education opportunities to help prepare them to be better stewards of our land and natural resources and to pursue careers in natural resources fields.

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

It is important to me to help students grow a strong sense of belonging to their place so that they become the leaders and stewards of their community.

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

I admire a leader who practices aloha - akahai, lokahi, oluolu, haahaa, ahonui - in the things that they do. Working with haumana I incorporate this in my classes so that they, too, can practice these values when engaging with one another, their community, and our aina.

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

All the kumu before me who fought to incorporate more place and culture-based learning in our classroom. My haumana inspire me to continue this work.

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

Future Generations of Aloha Aina

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

Houselessness