Navigating currents of belonging: Lived experiences of Micronesian students in Hawaiʻi public high schools

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Since the establishment of the Compact of Free Association (COFA) in 1986, migration from Micronesian nations, including the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, has steadily increased. Many COFA families settle in Hawai‘i, seeking improved access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. However, COFA students in Hawai‘i’s public schools continue to face significant challenges, including language barriers, racism, low graduation rates, and systemic inequities, which hinder their educational success. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of six Micronesian participants from COFA nations who attended public high schools in Hawai‘i. The purpose of the study was to provide insights from the participants' perspectives, examining how social, cultural, and systemic factors influenced their academic journeys. The findings uncovered five central themes: (1) navigating cultural and social identity, (2) nurturing bonds and affirming spaces, (3) challenges of inclusion and belonging in school communities, (4) encounters with racism: lived realities of exclusion and prejudice, and (5) navigating barriers and absence of support. Participant narratives highlight the resilience and resourcefulness of these students while exposing systemic inequities in the educational landscape. Recommendations include requiring cultural awareness and anti-bias training for educators, enforcing anti-discrimination policies, increasing community support, expanding initiatives for Micronesian educators, promoting cultural clubs and student-led programs, and facilitating peer mentoring. This study calls for urgent reforms to create inclusive, equitable educational environments for Micronesian students in Hawai‘i.