Where Every Voice Belongs
Related: In Good Company: Phil Kimi ’97
Born on the East Coast and raised in Hawai‘i from the age of three, Alison Hodges ’93 Lazzara has spent much of her life surrounded by Punahou’s classrooms, hallways and community. The daughter of longtime academy assistant principal and science and English teacher, Paula Hodges, and sister of Rachel Hodges ’81 Lau, an eighth grade social studies teacher, she grew up watching education in action. After earning a BA degree in art at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, studying art and Italian in Florence, Italy and completing a master’s degree in English at the University of California, Davis, she returned home to teach English at Punahou in 2002. Known for her warm, colorful classroom and her deep commitment to inclusion, Lazzara helps students find their voices through creativity, compassion and connection. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys reading, drinking coffee, tending to her many plants and spending time with family, daughter, Dylan ’24, and her whippets, Luna and Juno.
What inspired you to become an English teacher?
I never thought I would become a teacher. Both my parents were educators, and I saw how much work it was. I thought I’d be a poet, maybe live in Europe and make art. But when I started teaching at a community college in California, something changed. When I came home after 9/11, I began teaching summer school at Punahou, and something just clicked. I loved creating curriculum and seeing students so engaged and passionate about learning. It felt magical – like I had found where I was supposed to be.
How do you help students find and share their authentic voices?
For me, it starts with creating a safe, welcoming space. My classroom is full of light, color and comfort – books everywhere, gaming chairs, bean bags, prayer flags. I think about how the room feels when students walk in; it should feel like theirs. Teenagers can tell if you’re being genuine. If you show up authentically, they will too. I share stories about my daughter or my dogs, and I’m honest with them. Vulnerability builds trust. Once students feel that trust, they’re free to express themselves – to write, to speak, to be who they are.
What have you learned from supporting students through your work with the SAGA Club and LGBTQIA+ community?
When I first took over the Sexuality and Gender Affirmation (SAGA) Club, it was called GSA. It became a place where students could truly be themselves. My goal has always been for it to be student-led. My role is to help make things possible and support their ideas. Over the years, the work has become even more personal and more urgent. A family member came out as transgender, and that journey has taught me so much about what real affirmation looks like. Simple acts – using someone’s chosen name or pronouns – can literally save lives. Research shows it can reduce suicidal ideation in trans youth by almost 40 percent. Having a space that says: We see you. We value you. You belong here – that matters deeply. It’s one of the reasons I so appreciate President Mike Latham ’86 and our school’s leadership. Punahou’s mission statement affirms the dignity and worth of every individual, and that commitment means everything. I’m grateful to work in a place where inclusion isn’t just talked about; it’s practiced and lived every day.
How do you bring inclusion and connection into your teaching?
Storytelling is at the heart of everything I do. Stories build compassion. They help us see the world through someone else’s eyes. Sometimes that means exploring issues of justice, identity or belonging – sometimes it’s just about being seen. I want my students to read stories that matter, that stay with them, that remind them of their shared humanity.
What do you love most about being part of the Punahou community?
Punahou is home. My mom was here for 40 years, my sister has been here for 30, my daughter graduated from here – it’s part of who I am. I love seeing my students discover who they are and watching them grow into themselves. I feel lucky to be a part of their journey – even for a little while.
