Pescaia Receives Lifetime Education Achievement Award, Part Two

Aka’ula School News Release

Miki’ala Pescaia is the recipient of Aka’ula School’s 2025 Lifetime Education Achievement Award. Below is an interview with Pescaia discussing her education, influences and beliefs. This is part two of the interview. Part one ran in last week’s issue of The Molokai Dispatch.
Aka`ula School (AS): Was there a school teacher who through his/her philosophy showed you that education does not have to be four walls and textbooks? A favorite saying of that teacher?
Miki`ala Pescaia (MP): Kumu Moke Kim was my 7th grade kumu that became a hanai dad to me. He didn’t do anything by the book. He transformed the boundaries of a classroom education to mere traffic cones as he ran them over with the short yellow bus, intent on taking us on adventures to truly have a “ma ka hana ka ‘ike” experience – “if you don’t go, you won’t know.” He hustled for funding, opportunities and connected his students with kupuna and kumu in our community. He taught us to value the wisdom in our own homes. He taught us how to bridge culture, identity, career, aspirations and self-worth. I learned that if we orient ourselves by always putting our culture and identity at the center of our universe, everything will always make sense and we will never be lost.
AS: What are your dreams for the future?
MP: Today when I look back on my career, having built programs that span museums, preschools, adult education, summer programs, enrichment and career pathways, film making, textbook writing, curriculum development and even interpretation in a national park…I can say that my toolbelt is well provisioned by the kumu that came before me, and my lifelong commitment is to keep crafting more tools for our community to use to thrive into the future. I have often told my former students that they are my retirement plans. Today, I see many of them thriving as leaders, parents, professionals and community pillars, and I have great faith and peace in knowing that I will be in good hands when I reach elemakule (senior) status.
AS: Mahalo Miki`ala for taking the time to talk to us. We understand you are completing your Masters of Education at UH. We wish you all the best!
MP: Word of advice, it is never too late to pursue a degree, it does get harder as you get older, but anything is indeed possible. Mahalo Molokai!
Aka`ula School will formally honor Miki’ala Pescaia at its annual Ku Ka Lau Lama fundraiser, which is a Mother’s Day brunch on May 11. Tickets are available online at akaula.weebly.com or can be purchased at the school. We hope you join us for this celebration.