Sherry Cassetta
Sustainability/ʻāina teacher at ‘Aiea Intermediate School
At ‘Aiea Intermediate School, Sherry Cassetta moves with purpose. As the school’s sustainability/ʻāina teacher, her hands guide students through soil and seedlings, but her vision extends far beyond the campus grounds. Sherry isn’t just teaching agriculture—she’s nurturing Hawaii’s next generation of environmental champions.
“It all began with a yellow-flowered acacia,” Sherry reminisces. Outside her childhood home in Ala Mahamoe, Moanalua, young Sherry would spend hours sitting among the golden blossoms, developing what would become a lifelong connection to trees. “Back then, it was simply about beauty. Now I understand that trees are the lungs of our islands—providing shade, capturing precious rainwater, and giving us the very oxygen we breathe.”
This led Sherry to a realization later in life: Hawaii’s native trees weren’t just beautiful—they were essential to the islands’ ecological balance, which ignited her passion for environmental education.
With unwavering support from organizations like the Sierra Club and Trees for Honolulu’s Future, Sherry launched ambitious tree planting initiatives at ‘Aiea Intermediate. These efforts even caught the attention of U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, who joined students in their hands-on stewardship of the land. But perhaps Sherry’s most innovative contribution is Kumulāʻau—a card game she helped develop. Kumulāʻau teaches youth about Hawaii’s native trees, and the challenges they face.
“Games create engagement,” Sherry explains. “When students are having fun, deeper learning naturally follows.” The success of Kumulāʻau demonstrates her belief that environmental education needs to captivate young minds through creativity and play.
Sherry has big plans for the agricultural technology program she’ll be leading in the 2025-26 school year. “We’re creating more than gardens—we’re cultivating community connections,” she says with enthusiasm. Her comprehensive plan includes expanding growing spaces, empowering students to become educators themselves through community tours, and sharing nursery-grown plants with schools and local neighborhoods.
Sherry’s favorite tree is the ʻōlapa (Cheirodendron trigynum). “I first encountered it during a service trip to Mt. Kaʻala, and I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.” She describes its uniquely colored leaves dancing in the makani (wind), shimmering as sunlight filters through the forest canopy. Her description conveys not just appreciation, but a profound connection to Hawaii’s native flora.
This dedicated educator finds her own balance by occasionally dreaming of quiet moments away from her busy schedule. “A deserted island retreat sounds perfect sometimes,” she laughs. “I picture myself in a hammock woven from coconut tree fibers, finally finishing ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’—a book that’s been on my reading list for too long!”
As Hawaii faces ongoing environmental challenges, champions like Sherry Cassetta represent hope for the future. Through her teaching, game development, and tireless advocacy, she embodies the spirit of mālama ʻāina—caring for the land that sustains us all. By connecting young people to Hawaii’s trees, she’s ensuring that the next generation will continue this vital work, rooted in knowledge, nourished by passion, and reaching skyward with possibility.