In the words of Island Pacific Academy Founder Dr. Dan White: “Whenever you can, help!” For IPA Class of 2026 student Thayleah Hall, help has translated into hundreds of tenderly made strands of care and connection, shared with the community through her club—Leis Of Aloha.
What started with a simple idea and lei-making skills passed on from Thayleah’s mother and tutu has expanded into a movement powered by kindness. Thayleah and her friends gather regularly at IPA to create gifts of ti leaf kūpeʻe, plumeria lei and more which they bring to hospitals, schools, and to those who need uplifting. IPA parents have also joined in the aloha spirit, learning to craft lei while giving back to others.
“IPA has been an outstanding place for our club to take place in because the amount of support from the staff, teachers, and students is endless,” said Thayleah. “Miss Fern was able to get Leis Of Aloha involved with so many things that happen on and off campus.”
Leis Of Aloha is inspiring its volunteers to have a profound respect for Hawaiian culture and an understanding of how the rich tradition of lei-making can be a tool for healing today. The art of lei-making is also an act of reverence, as reflected in the club’s visit to place lei at the Pearl Harbor memorial. Said Thayleah, “Our first ever community service was to create a ti leaf lei that had 2,403 twists. And each of those twists represented the soldiers who had died during the Pearl Harbor attack.”
Prominently profiled in a recent issue of Go Kapolei magazine, Thayleah is also making waves in her role as the reigning Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer 2025 and through her Grow With Kindness initiative that shares values-driven story time and activities with young learners. She is also dedicated to a dynamic school life in both academics and athletics—including playing varsity volleyball and basketball—and to her home life with family.
Thayleah notes that being a student at IPA has helped to cultivate the leadership skills she needs to bring vision to fruition. Through Leis Of Aloha, club participants are paying it forward and embodying a sense of kuleana that is further nurtured and celebrated in the IPA experience. And as her project grows, Thayleah hopes that generations of students will continue to be inspired by the sheer act of giving.
