Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Fa'afetai lava and Mahalo Nui Loa! For forty-five years, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa) College of Education's School of Teacher Education (STE) has had the honor of partnering with the American Samoa Department of Education (ASDOE) to support and certify educators across American Samoa. 

As the ASDOE moves forward to explore new pathways for teacher certification, this cherished partnership will formally conclude in December 2026. We wish them every success in that endeavor.

The program's roots stretch back to 1981, when it was established as the Territorial Teacher Training Assistance Project (TTTAP). Over time, it grew and evolved into the UH Mānoa American Samoa Bachelor of Education (BEd) program. 

Its mission remained constant throughout: to provide in-service teachers in American Samoa with the content knowledge and pedagogical skills to strengthen instruction in their own classrooms. Funded through ASDOE via federal sources, the program made teacher certification accessible to educators who were already serving their communities.

That mission translated into something remarkable. 

Over the course of four decades, nearly 900 teachers earned certification in Elementary Education, Elementary and Special Education, or Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Many went on to complete their Master's degrees and continue to serve the people of American Samoa in meaningful ways. The reach of this program lives on in every classroom those educators have touched.

A partnership of this length and impact is built by many hands, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed over the years. Though they would be the last to seek recognition, we feel compelled to honor a group of individuals whose dedication went far beyond what was asked of them — people who created lasting, life-changing experiences for their students.

We recognize Dr. Laura Falealii-Laolagi, the program's current Director, whose leadership has been a steady and guiding force. Ronald Turituri and Sarah Chan Kau-Tuiolemotu have served with distinction as current faculty, bringing expertise and care to every student they teach. William Thompson and Mene Tauaa, who faithfully served as faculty for many years and continue to teach courses, have embodied the spirit of this program from its earliest days.

Working alongside Laura, Ron, Sarah, Will, and Mene gave UH Mānoa and Hawaiʻi educators some of the most rewarding professional experiences of their lives. Everyone was welcomed as family.

The opportunity to learn as much as we taught — from our colleagues, our students, and the community of American Samoa — is something those of us in the STE will carry with us always.

A hui hou — until we meet again.