“I see parts of me in them”: Ashawnaleigh Bicoy on teaching and connection
By Britt Board
Assistant Director of Communications
Ashawnaleigh Bicoy’s home island of Molokaʻi is tiny. “Like, 32 miles long and 4,000 residents. No street lights, no fast food, only family-owned businesses,” she says.
In many ways, Molokai is where the seeds of her vocation were planted, beginning with inspirational teachers and a longstanding recognition of the power of education.
Now a senior education major at PLU with a concentration in special education, Ashawnaleigh is building on that early sense of purpose through teaching. She’s currently completing her teaching practicum at Keithley Middle School, working with sixth graders across subjects including math, English, and special education.
“Growing up, school was my safety net. It was something I was passionate about,” says Ashawnaleigh. However, her path to PLU wasn’t direct after high school. She began college in California and experienced destabilizing health issues, then quickly realized she wanted to be closer to family and pursue a different educational direction. When she visited PLU for the first time, she says, “I fell in love as soon as I walked on campus. I saw so many different colors at PLU and so much diversity.” Her experiences at PLU and in the classroom have given shape to what feels instinctive — a belief in education not just as opportunity, but as connection. It’s a perspective shaped, in part, by where she comes from.
I fell in love as soon as I walked on campus. I saw so many different colors at PLU and so much diversity.
For Ashawnaleigh, her feelings about Molokaʻi are complicated and nuanced. “It’s a tight-knit community, and I like how untouched we are by the rest of the world.” That isolation can be both a draw and something she’s had to navigate. “I always knew my life was bigger than my island, even as I was going through traumatic things.” She was raised by her grandparents, Reuben and Libby Bicoy. “The Bicoy last name meant a lot. My grandparents were very respected.”
With guidance from Grandpa Ruben, Ashawnaleigh grew up learning all kinds of skills: “There are more granddaughters than grandsons in our family, so we did a lot of labor — raised pigs, fished, changed tires, changed oil.” She also heavily prioritized school, recognizing that her success there would directly shape the range of opportunities available after high school. “My grandma has been my biggest support. She has taken in many people. A lot of people on the island call her mom. She volunteers her time, and so many people have come through her house.”
In a place where everyone knows each other, Ashawnaleigh felt both supported and hemmed in on the island. “Growing up living on such a small island, I felt like I had to hide my personality a lot.” Now, at PLU, she says, “You can be who you want to be at PLU. I was called Shawna back home. Up here, I was able to be my full self and tap into Ashawnaleigh.” These experiences, rooted in both home and growth beyond it, have helped shape her journey and now inform her teaching philosophy.
Having lived through familial and personal challenges during her youth, Ashawnaleigh understands that to be an effective teacher is to be a curious teacher. “My teaching philosophy is that you cannot teach a child you don’t know. We need to learn our identity and who we are as individuals, then learn about our students.”
That philosophy shows up in how she approaches her students at Keithley. Rather than seeing teaching as delivering content, she sees it as building trust. “Teachers and students shouldn’t be put on different levels,” she says, using her hands to show an invisible divide. “I try to bridge the gap and share about my life. I want to relate to them, be compassionate, and share my struggles.” She’s also worked one-on-one with students as a “Big Buddy” at the Parkland Literacy Center, an experience that deepened her commitment to individualized learning.
At PLU, she’s found the support to grow into that approach. “The way PLU’s education program is built is so beautiful, and I’m so appreciative,” she says. “They center important ideas — like reaching students where they’re at instead of getting them to meet standards.”
Mentors also played a key role for Ashawnaleigh. “Cathy Kim was definitely my mentor during my time at PLU. She modeled inclusivity in a classroom. She reminded me of my high school teacher, Miss Takata.” Seeing that kind of representation in teaching mattered. “It’s important for women of color to be in this field.” After a short pause, she excitedly follows up with another shout-out, “I could go to John Wright at any time and ask for advice and help. And Pastor Jen Rude has been an important person for me here, too. I’ve opened up to her about so many things.”
After graduation, she plans to remain at PLU to pursue her Master of Education, joining the new program’s first cohort. For now, she’s focused on her students. “I see parts of me in them when I was younger, and I want them to know that they are enough. They can make their dreams come true,” she says. That perspective shapes how she shows up in the classroom. “It’s important to find what motivates each kid…get to know them.” It’s an approach that’s grounded in her own self-awareness, too. “I’m like the sun. And it’s energizing and bright. I know my energy is felt, and sometimes it’s intense. But it’s who I am.”