David Boynton

This is Mr. Boynton

To me, a hero doesn’t have to have super powers and a long cape. To be a hero, you just need to change something in the world, even a small thing. Somewhere, someone might notice what you did, and say something about it. The person who I call a hero is David Boynton, who tragically fell off a 300-foot cliff on the Na Pali Coast of Kauai, Hawaii, on Feburary 10, 2007.

David Boynton was born on Oahu, and raised in Lanikai. He had been a Department of Education teacher since the early 1970’s, and had also been an environment teacher for over 20 years. For the past 30 years, he has been photographing Hawaii’s environment, from birds to hoof prints to flowers. Some of his photos have made it into books. He was also one of the last people to record the O’o bird, before it became extinct.

The thing that made him really stand out is what he started. He had an idea to make an overnight center for kids, from all over Hawaii, to learn about the environment and how to protect it.

When he was thinking about how to start it, Hurricanes Iniki and Iwa struck. A wealthy couple heard about the hurricane damage, and his idea, and gave $155,000 to help. The center was built in one summer, mainly by students learning carpentry. The couple was so impressed at the grand opening, they gave another $155,000.

He has touched so many kids for many years. He will be remembered as someone who created and ran the Koke'e Learning Center.