The Alaka‘i Mentorship Program establishes a relationship with youth in the community seeking a stronger commitment to the conservation and stewardship of the ocean including concepts of mālama ‘āina and mālama kai (stewardship of the land and sea). This program is tailored to help meet the needs and interests of the youth in our community that are willing to commit to our program for one year.

Our mentorship activities are carefully planned to guide youth in developing the self-respect and self-reliance necessary to accomplish long-term goals.

Ocean navigational and boating skills are acquired through a partnership with the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Participants learn conservation leadership by participating through our NKK Clinics. They are introduced to ocean related career opportunities through interaction with professionals working in the marine environment. They also organize and implement a community service activity based on knowledge gained through participation in a variety of established community service projects.

The Alaka‘i Mentorship Program is designed for keiki ages 12-17 and implements a 4-year plan in educating the keiki of the ocean and their future college/career. Keiki must be referred to the program by a current Nā Kama Kai board member.

Hoʻomaikaʻi to Our Seniors

Puamakamae DeSoto

Puamakamaekuikahanohaweo Maunalei Kaʻaihue DeSoto from Mākaha, Oʻahu is a kanaka heʻe nalu (surfer). She’s won nine national titles and one ISA Gold medal. At 12 years old she won the coveted Waterwoman Award at the Buffalo Big Board Surfing Classic and was recognized by the State Legislature; she won the Waterwoman Award again this year. She’s an honors student at Kamehameha Schools. Next year her goal is to work and surf as a college freshman at Pepperdine University and compete on the world stage of surfing as a WSLʻs Challenger Series rookie.

Adam Ancheta

My name is Adam Ancheta and I have been an Alakai’ since 9th grade. I am so sad to be leaving this program as I have learned many things about the Hawaiian culture. The experiences and bonds I have made through this program have been super awesome. I will miss teaching kids, going to the beach, and having so much fun with everyone, as I will be attending Northeastern University in Boston. Just wanted to say thank you to Na Kama Kai for allowing me to have this awesome experience!

Caitlyn Ito

Aloha! ‘O Caitlyn Maile Ito ko’u inoa, no Aiea mai au. Nā Kama Kai has blessed me with many opportunities over the years, and I am proud to be graduating from the Alaka’i program. Surfing gave me my initial love for the ocean, but Nā Kama Kai has taught me what it means to take care of our kai and ‘āina, as well as the importance of teaching this kuleana to all the generations to come. With the priceless lessons I have learned being apart of this program, I have no doubt I will share as much of this as I can with my children, and other keiki that I care for. Mahalo nui Nā Kama Kai.

Kaelah Kimura

I’m Kaelah Kimura, a fourth-year member of the Alaka’i Program. I will be graduating from Punahou School in June of 2023 and will attend Brown University in Providence Rhode Island in the Fall. Thanks to the foundational cultural and ocean experiences Na Kama Kai has given me, I hope to study public policy and environmental studies so that I may better advocate for climate policy in Hawai’i and globally.

Our Past Events

Nā Kama Kai Brazil

“Na Kama Kai took the Alaka’i program to Brazil, we had the opportunity to run a clinic in Brazil, to reach kids in other parts of the world. The trip also gave the Alaka’i an opportunity to see the difference in lifestyles and as well as host a beach clinic for the kids. As Alaka’i we got the amazing opportunity to teach the kids about the ocean and how to be safe and love it as well. Through the trip, we hoped to be able to broaden our program which was a success!”

– Arianna Aquino (15), Alakaʻi

San Francisco Outreach

“Back in the month of May 2019 I was offered a great opportunity to fly with other Alaka’i members to San-Francisco. The trip was very memorable, inspiring and influencing on my future and the future of others that were there to experience what I did. One of my favorite parts of the trip was Ocean beach.

We were asked to help out a group kids down at Ocean beach and take them into the water and teach them to be more comfortable in the ocean and to surf. The day at the beach was so much fun because the group of kids that were there were only a few years older than me and my peers, it was shocking to hear their stories about their experiences with the ocean, some of them said they had never been in the ocean before. I felt so grateful after hearing what they had to say because I have so much access to the beach in order for me to swim and play in it. Besides the beach I was able to visit the Stanford campus and get a tour of it by one of its sophomore students, it was very overwhelming but a good kind of overwhelming, a feeling filled with confidence and excitement. Even though I was in San-Francisco for a bit those are my most highlighted memories from the trip and the ones that taught me the most. I wish I could revisit those moments again besides looking at just pictures. I hope that everyone has and will have a great trip like this one. I wanna thank Na Kama Kai so much for the opportunities that it has and may have in the future to provide for me and the rest of the Alaka’i and community.”

– Leinaʻala Wong (14), Alakaʻi

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