An Academy Built On Strong Values

BY RON SHIIRA, president of Hawai‘i Baptist Academy

Hawai‘i Baptist Academy came from humble beginnings as a small school founded by Christian missionaries in 1949, with 36 students. Today, we serve more than 1,000 students each year on our elementary, middle school and high school campuses. This year, we expanded our offerings and opened our first junior kindergarten program.

What has remained steadfast in our nearly 75-year story is that we bring faith and learning together. While HBA is often recognized for its strong academics that prepare our students for college, we believe our core values of humility, curiosity, love and commitment equip our young leaders for life.

Humility

In awe and with gratitude, we recognize that we are born into God’s vast creation. We cultivate humility by taking time to be contemplative, being open to change, and knowing that there is and will always be more to learn.

Hawai‘i Baptist Academy students participate in Operation Christmas Child 2019, a service project all of the school’s campuses join in each year.
PHOTOS COURTESY HAWAI‘I BAPTIST ACADEMY

Curiosity

With an attitude of wonder, we explore God’s truth through His Word and His creation. We cultivate curiosity by asking questions, seeking opportunities to learn, trying new things, and by persevering in our quest for answers.

Love

We cultivate love in the community by striving for peace, through eliciting and sharing ideas, constructively expressing and resolving disagreements, respecting differences and loving all people, and by asking for and offering forgiveness.

Commitment

We express our commitment by speaking the truth and taking responsibility, caring for God’s creation, and using our talents and resources to work toward the good of humanity. We are proud of the thousands of HBA alumni working toward the greater good and demonstrating leading to serve worldwide. Our graduates serve in many positions from government and churches to hospitals and tech companies.

Some are leading their own companies in the private and nonprofit sectors, and all are contributing talents in their own special ways. They bring strength of character, wholesome values, and a strong work ethic, and we’d like to believe that HBA, as well as their families, nurtured those qualities.

To learn more about HBA, visit hba.net.