Teaching Artist Tomoko Nakazato with students at Kahakai Elementary
Teaching Artists Heather Ostrom and Lynn Robert with students at Kahakai Elementary
SAE Pewa and ALOHA NŌ Exhibition
Teaching Artist Puakea Forester and students at Volcano School of Arts and Sciences
Art, ʻĀina & Identity: A Look Inside AITS
At the Donkey Mill Art Center, we believe that art is a powerful bridge between culture, community, and learning. This belief came to life in the spring through our Artist in the Schools (AITS) residency program, as Donkey Mill Teaching Artists led enriching experiences at several elementary schools across Hawaiʻi Island.
At Hōlualoa Elementary, fourth-grade students created beautiful accordion books filled with watercolor illustrations that explored deep connections between culture and place. Inspired by Carol Yotsuda’s mural, Pōmaikaʻi Kākou I Ka ʻĀina, students reflected on their own stories and the ways their heritage is woven into the landscape of Hawaiʻi.
One of the most impactful aspects of AITS is its broad reach: during the 2024–25 school year alone, the Donkey Mill’s AITS residencies engaged over 300 students from Pre-K through 4th grade across three campuses—Hōlualoa Elementary, Kahakai Elementary, and Volcano School of Arts and Sciences.
Rooted in ʻāina-based education, these residencies guided students through themes of kuleana, natural cycles, cultural landscapes, and their roles in caring for Hawaiʻi — all through the lens of art. Programming was aligned with both the National Core Art Standards and Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ), reinforcing learning that is not only creative but culturally grounded.
Mill Youth Program Coordinator Gerald Lucena and Teaching Artist Puakea Forester worked directly with students while also providing professional development for classroom teachers. These sessions offered creative tools and strategies that teachers could carry into their daily practice, supporting the integration of the arts across subject areas and helping ensure that learning continues long after the residency ends.
Through this integrated approach, students not only developed visual art skills but also deepened their sense of identity, connection to place, and belonging within their community. Each residency program supported student well-being by offering a safe, inspiring space for creative expression, reflection, and collaboration—fostering social-emotional growth alongside academic learning.
Hōlualoa Elementary School
Inspired by Carol Yotsudaʻs ceramic mural, Pomaikaʻi Kākou I Ka ʻĀina, teaching artist, Tomoko Nakazato, guided Hōlualoa 3rd graders to create colorful collages about kalo.
Volcano School of Arts & Sciences
At the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, Teaching Artist Puakea Forester guides young haumāna through mo’olelo, kapa making, and a diverse range of art process nurturing belonging and connection to ʻāina.
Kahakai Elementary School
Kahakai Elementary 3rd graders create abstract watercolor paintings about flooding in Hawaiʻi inspired by weather maps and artwork by Helen Frankenthaler.
Mahalo Nui Loa
We are filled with deep gratitude for all who make this work possible.
Mahalo nui loa to the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (HSFCA), Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Hawaiʻi Arts Alliance, Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center, and our generous community of individual donors for supporting our mission to bring arts and culture-integrated education into our schools.
Mahalo nui to our incredible teaching artists — Puakea Forester, Tomoko Nakazato, Gerald Lucena, Lynn Roberts, and Heather Ostrom — for sharing your gifts, guidance, and aloha with our keiki.
To the dedicated staff and teachers of Hōlualoa Elementary, Kahakai Elementary, and Volcano School of Arts and Sciences — thank you for welcoming us into your classrooms and for your continued partnership.
And to our haumāna — your creativity, courage, and curiosity inspire everything we do.