HONOLULU (HI Now) – David Sun-Miyashiro’s journey from a middle school special education teacher in Wahiawā to the founding executive director of HawaiiKidsCAN highlights the power of literacy to shape opportunity. In this segment, he shares how his classroom experience sparked a lifelong commitment to ensuring every child can read, and how that mission led to the recent passage of HB 1891 to strengthen early literacy support across the state.

As Hawaiʻi works toward bold goals like doubling third grade reading proficiency in Nānākuli and Waiʻanae by 2030, David’s story reflects how educators can drive systems-level change. His work is helping to build a future where more keiki can read confidently, access opportunity, and contribute to thriving communities across Hawaiʻi.