Melodie “Miki” Mikilani Hao graduated from Brigham Young University–Hawaii in December 2005 with a degree in TESOL education and a minor in Japanese. Born in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and raised in Laie, she now resides in her family home in Hilo with her husband and five children. Today, she serves as a district resource teacher for bilingual students in the Hilo-Waiakea School District and as the president of the BYU–Hawaii Alumni Chapter in Hilo.
Growing Up Surrounded by Cultures
Raised in the unique community of Laie, Hao developed a love for cultures and languages early on. Her father, Bobby Akoi, worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) for many years, instilling in her an appreciation for diversity.
“I always knew that what I wanted to do would be something that would serve different cultures,” Hao shared. “When I found the TESOL major at BYU–Hawaii, I was so grateful because it was the perfect way to connect with how I grew up being surrounded by different cultures and different languages.”
Although she once imagined leaving her hometown after high school, multiple scholarships and a summer job at the PCC convinced her to stay. What began as “just one year” at BYU–Hawaii soon became a life-changing experience.
Where Culture and Spirituality Meets Education
During her years as a student, Hao found inspiration not only through her peers but also through mentors and professors. Being half Japanese, she especially valued the influence of her Japanese professor, Katsuhiro Kajiyama. “Although my mom spoke to us in Japanese, we could never read or write it. But through his classes, I was able to connect with my Japanese culture and learn to read and write,” she said.
She also remembered education professors such as Dr. John Bailey, Dr. Mark James, and Dr. Barry Mitchell, who set high standards for their students. “Whenever there was a graduate from BYU–Hawaii in education, the public schools would grab them right away. They didn’t even have to search for a job,” Hao explained.
Her time on campus also helped her learn how to integrate both spiritual and academic life. “It is at BYU–Hawaii where I was able to integrate education and spirituality openly. Professors prayed with us, and you could see students praying in the testing center before exams. Integrating my spiritual goals and scholarship goals started at BYU–Hawaii and continued as I went on to complete a masters in education at Northern Arizona University.”
Balancing Roles with Faith
In October 2003, after serving a Spanish-speaking mission in Texas, Hao returned to BYU–Hawaii to complete her degree. She met her husband while dancing at the PCC Night Show. Both were education majors and then were married and sealed in the Laie Hawaii Temple in March 2007. Together, they have built a family of five children—Kienna, Kingston, and Kelan, who are in high school, Kohl a fourth grader, and a baby girl born in October 2024, Kaliko.
Professionally, Hao is now a district resource teacher in the Hilo-Waiakea School District where she supports 500 bilingual students across 10 schools. “Because of BYU–Hawaii, my perspective is different. I don’t see English as something that will replace a student's identity or language. Instead, I see it as a tool to add to what they already bring,” she explained.
Balancing her roles as mother, educator, Church leader, and Alumni Chapter president has taught her to value seasons. “Not all good things mean I have to do them,” she said. “For this season, it’s motherhood. Career and everything else come second. Each season is an opportunity for us to dedicate our time and talents to the Lord in the way that he would want us to serve his children."
Service In Every Season
For Hao, her time at BYU–Hawaii carries meaning far beyond her studies. “Wherever you are planted, that is where you should serve,” she said. “It means to bloom where you’re planted. The Lord calls us to different places at specific times to meet specific people. That specific space and time is sacred and an opportunity for us to become who the Lord wants us to be.”
Her advice to current students echoes that same faith and flexibility: “It’s great to have a plan and to do your best to plan with the Lord. But be humble and flexible. Let the Lord change you and help you grow. If His plan doesn’t look like yours, it’s okay. The Lord is in the details and his plan is always the best.”
