LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Amanda Miyamoto was nominated by her principal, Bernie Tyrell.

"I feel compelled to speak Amanda Miyamoto’s name and put it out into the universe for everyone to hear because she is a LifeChanger," said Tyrell. "She is literally changing the trajectory of our students' lives and impacting our community as a whole by reinforcing a college-oriented culture."

Ms. Miyamoto facilitates an Early College dual credit program. She has established a robust support team which includes Windward Community College (WCC) as a post-secondary partner. Ms. Miyamoto has worked to support the alignment between CTE pathways, certifications, and degrees in the University of Hawaii system. She works closely with academy teachers to create a recruiting system for students who typically do not see themselves going to college. The Early College programs intentionally target students from the Native Hawaiian, disadvantaged, and first generation subgroups. Ms. Miyamoto has worked with WCC, the Harold KL Foundation, and Kamehameha Schools to provide early college courses at no cost to parents and students.  

Ms. Miyamoto goes from class to class to speak about the Early College opportunities. She helps students navigate the application process and organizes mandatory parent meetings to help students navigate the UH system.  During these meetings, she invites college professors to meet students and share the expectations of their classes. She spends many of her evenings supporting students so they understand the college application process and are aware of resources such as free texts and counseling. She also provides on-going coaching, moral support, and encouragement.  

Because of Ms. Miyamoto's efforts, many of the Early College participants have earned higher GPAs, attendance rates, and passing rates than the average student.  From 2015-2018, Castle High offered 29 dual credit courses, with students earning 738 college credits and a 97% passing rate. Last year, 58 early college seniors graduated with 325 credits, with the average student completing 12 credits.  One outstanding senior graduated with 27 credits.

"This year, with Amanda’s help, we offered 23 courses on campus, even during the summer," said Tyrell. "Amanda continues to build a strong Early College team that has allowed the program to flourish. Early College's success has helped establish a seamless pathway to college and increase the number of students attending WCC. Our students are transitioning to college already familiar with their professors. They have experienced the rigor of college classes and are attaining the skills needed to be successful in a college environment. There is no way as a principal I could accomplish all that I do without Amanda’s fortitude and leadership. Our school community is truly blessed to have such a caring mentor on our campus!"