Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 5, 1 Mei 1985 — Volunteer Speakers Doing Their Thing at Waianae Schools [ARTICLE]

Volunteer Speakers Doing Their Thing at Waianae Schools

Forty community volunteer lecturers from a wide spectrum of professions form the nucleus of the 1985 speakers' bureau whieh onee more will expose a new educational experience for Waianae and Nanakuli High Schoot students.

These artisans include professionals, kupuna and lay people who will cover a wide range of subjects relating to Hawaiian life, history and culture on Apr. 29-30 and May 1-3. This Waianae coast May experience is a cooperative effort invo!ving the Department of Education, Hawāii State Teachers' Association, Waianae Coast School Concerns Coalition and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. It is being expanded from three to five days following last year's initial

effort whieh turned out to be a tremendous success. Input from teachers and students has enabled the committee to more properly plan this year's experience. The speakers' list has also been increased to accomodate the expected demand. This "Partners in Education" program, designed to provide cultural and educational experiences to students and teachers, also perpetuates, promotes and provides Na Mea Hawaii (things Hawaiian) in an educational setting through

modeled behavior and shared mana'o (knowledge). While the speakers' bureau list is cosmopolitan, the majority of resource people are either ethnic Hawaiians or those having expertise in Na Mea Hawaii. Two OHA staff members, Human Services Specialist Sam Holt and Kupuna Coordinator Betty Jenkins, again head up the bureau. An orientation meeting of those on the speakers' bureau was held Apr. 13 at Stuart Ho's Mauna Olu in Makaha. The list of those in attendance read like a who's who in the professional, private and public sectors of Hawaii's varied fields of employment.

There were retirees and kupuna, many of them enjoying their golden years by becomifig involved in such programs, imparting knowledge and know-how in their respective fields. Teachers and students will again evaluate this year's happening and submit their findings to the committee handling the program. The committee, made up of representatives from the coordinating organizations, met regularly to map out the 1985 program. An attempt to include elementary students on this year's program fell through and has been put on hold.