The SKEA building was originally built in 1905 to serve as a school for Japanese-speaking children. Many of Kona's Japanese residents came here to work in the sugar and coffee industries. Farm children attended schools like this one, often picking coffee on their family's farm both before and after school. Today, SKEA provides a gathering place for art workshops, art camps for children and small groups of people who come to SKEA for many varied activities.

Photo courtesy of the Kona Historical Society This photo from the early 1900's shows the building when it began as a Japanese language schoolhouse.	"Bottle Wall" - this is in an old Japanese-style bathhouse on the SKEA grounds - the building is now used for storage. This wall is made of glass bottles mortared into a frame.
The SKEA building as it looks today.	The SKEA Office, located on the SKEA grounds adjacent to the schoolhouse.

The Beginnings of SKEA

Teunisse Rabin Teunisse was one of the founders of SKEA and served as the first Executive and Program Director. She was instrumental in giving SKEA a solid foundation and her hard work helped to make SKEA what it is today. Teunisse died of cancer in 2002 but her contributions live on at SKEA.