Aloha, my name is Samantha Nakahira. I was born and raised in Kāne’ohe and currently work at Mānoa Heritage Center where I give education tours to children and adults. I plan service learning activities with the children to work in Manoa Heritage Center’s 3.5 acre native garden, where I teach them about Native Hawaiian plants, Hawaiian culture, the history of our islands, and why it’s important to mālama ‘āina and have a relationship with the land. I love working with children and it’s truly a joy to see their faces light up when they learn something new that’s interesting for them! I have a BA in Art with a focus in graphic design, and also have two Undergraduate Certificates: Women’s Studies and Peace and Conflict Education. My First Aid/CPR certifications are current.

I was also an assistant summer school teacher for kindergarteners for two years, one summer at Ben Parker Elementary School and the other at Kaneohe Elementary School. This was during the summers before my Junior and Senior years of high school. My responsibilities were to assist the teacher in helping the kids with their homework, supervising them, and doing activities with them. I have 8 younger cousins and two younger sisters who were 5-13 years younger than me that I would babysit regularly while they were infants/children. I learned a lot as the eldest female cousin of the family!

I’m also a regular volunteer group leader for Protect & Preserve Hawaii, a non-profit that is working to restore the native flora in Pia Valley. Many of the groups I lead include high school students, and I enjoy teaching them about our native ecosystems. I’ve also served two Americorps terms: in 2014-2015 I worked at the The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and in 2020-2021 I served with Kupu (a conservation leadership development program, where my host site was Mānoa Heritage Center).

My career aspiration is to go back to school to study Bioengineering. I have a deep appreciation for the environment, especially our home here in the islands, and would love the opportunity to create mechanisms that would allow us to perpetuate the well-being of our environment and native species. It’s also a lifelong aspiration for me to educate our youth and inspire them to see the potential they have to be the change in the world they would like to see.

I additionally have six years experience as a cook, most notably at the Sheraton Waikiki, the Pineapple Room, Sekiyas, and Whole Foods. If your children enjoy cooking, gardening, and arts & and crafts, please consider choosing me as your next babysitter!