ALTRES employees grant supply wishes for teachers at 2 Big Island charter schools

ALTRES employees throughout the islands come together each summer for a Back-to-School Drive in support of Hawai‘i’s keiki. The team took a new, more personalized approach this year, shifting focus from general school supplies to specific classroom needs of local teachers.

So instead of collecting bulk donations, ALTRES staff members granted wishes for a total of 14 educators from two Big Island charter schools — Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School in Hilo and Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki Lab Public Charter School in Keaʻau — fulfilling curated lists submitted directly from each teacher.

These schools — rooted in the resilient Puna community — continue to face unique challenges because of environmental impacts and limited resources.

Kua O Ka Lā was forced to relocate to Hilo during the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea volcano, which inundated its previous 600-acre property in Pūʻalaʻa, Puna, next to Ahalanui warm pond, with lava.

These resilient children and families now travel to their relocated campus on Makalika Street in Hilo, where some classrooms extend into tented spaces as the school continues to rebuild now nearly 7 years after the lava flows from Ahuʻailāʻau (formerly called Fissure 8) ceased and the eruption ended.

Teachers started from scratch and are steadily working to restore classroom supplies and create nurturing learning environments for their students.

“Too often, teachers quietly cover classroom costs out of their own pockets,” ALTRES Director of Corporate Philanthropy Siana Hunt said in a release about the firm granting teacher wishes. “We wanted to lighten that load and bring their wish lists to life — supporting their vision for vibrant, well-equipped learning spaces.”

The lists included everything from physical education equipment and art supplies to science tools such as microscopes, safety goggles and lab materials — along with storage and cubbies to help organize student learning.

By contributing to these specific requests, ALTRES employees helped create lasting impact, ensuring classrooms were ready to start the 2025-26 academic year and welcome students with pride.

Supplies were delivered the week of July 28, giving teachers time to prepare before students returned from summer break.

“We were blown away by the kindness and support,” Kua O Ka Lā Business Manager Karina Espinoza said in the release. “It’s heartening to know that there are people who believe in our students and want to help them succeed.”

The annual Back-to-School Drive is just one way employment and human resources administration company ALTRES — founded in 1969 in Honolulu — stands by its commitment to growing tomorrow’s leaders.

Through this year’s focus on teacher wish lists, the firm’s employees demonstrated that sometimes the smallest gifts — when chosen with care — can make the biggest difference.

Check out the ALTRES website to learn more about the firm, its services and how it gives back to the community.