At Leadership Kaua'i, we believe that leadership is foundational to the successful implementation and completion of impactful community projects.  

A Proven Track Record

Since its inception in 2003, Leadership Kaua`i, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit educational institution, has been dedicated to cultivating strong and committed leaders on Kaua`i. We do this by engaging a cross-section of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds, and developing their leadership skills to serve our community collaboratively. 

Leadership Kaua`i has graduated 173 adult, 197 youth, and completed 36 service projects that serve communities island-wide and beyond the shores. Participants demonstrate these leadership practices and their identifiable behaviors through the community projects they are required to create, organize and produce. Over the years, we estimate that by factoring in our community projects and new programs, Leadership Kaua‘i has already touched the lives of at least 35% of Kaua‘i’s population. That number will continue to grow as we foster an expected commitment from our Alumni that encourages their continued community involvement and shared vision and values for Kaua`i.

At Leadership Kaua‘i, our curriculum is designed to implement an evidence-based leadership model created by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. The Leadership Challenge develops 5 specific leadership practices and 30 behaviors within participants who, after internalizing these practices are able to lead by example to produce meaningful results in their workplace and throughout Kaua‘i’s community at large.

Our Annual Adult Leadership Program takes a class of 15-20 adults through an intensive ten-month virtual classroom program that consists of leadership development and networking through a guest speaker series, professional skills building - critical thinking, decision-making and communication, intergenerational and multicultural bridging in Kaua'i's unique island culture, global leadership, mentoring, collaboration and community service.

Our Youth Program, Pi'ina Hoku (Stars the Rise) incorporates the Student Leadership Challenge into an annual program. From 2007 to 2012, Pi'ina Hoku mirrored the adult annual program format of gathering a cross-section 20 youth from public, private, charter and home schools over 9 months. Today, Pi'ina Hoku leadership development is being integrated into public, private, charter and home school curriculum. The goal is to provide every child, all 3000 students island-wide with the opportunity to develop the leader within. 

Leadership Kauai's mission is to ensure a source of qualified and committed leaders on Kauai through effective leadership programs.

In 2003, volunteers from major community sectors recognized the importance of balanced leadership and stepped forward to launch Leadership Kaua`i, a program to identify, nurture and empower individuals who could lead us into the 21st century. Today, committed leaders imbued with a profound understanding of Kaua`i's uniquely diverse cultural nuances and issues are at the forefront of Kaua`i's future. From our current Mayor to school principals to non-profit directors to senior management employees, Leadership Kaua`i has graduated 173 adult, 197 youth, and completed 36 service projects that serve communities island-wide and beyond the shores.

Pi`ina Hoku, Stars that Rise is our youth program began a multi-year expansion in 2012. The goal is to integrate leadership development into all of Kaua`i high schools, reaching thousands of students. Today, effecting over 1000 students and faculty, all grade levels at Kapa'a High School have incorporated leadership into their curriculum and the inaugural class will graduate in June 2015.

With the support of the Saltchuck GivingTrax, we will be able to effectively continue working with the Department of Education; a Triple C Project comprised of middle school students; further our outreach to Kaua'i and Waimea High Schools and Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School; implement Train-the-Trainer workshops for facilitators and teachers; and continue community engagement with activities and stewardship projects- Kupuna Day, For Da Kids Sports Camp, Let’s Get Local at Farmer's Markets, Operation T.H.O.T. - Teens Helping Other Teens, Kokua Koke'e and more.

Our hope is to effectively impact all of Kauai's public, private and charter schools by encouraging each student to take the lead in his or her life.