Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 4, 1 April 1990 — 'May Experience' opens up options in life [ARTICLE]

'May Experience' opens up options in life

Hawaiians ean be successful in both traditional Hawaiian and Western lifestyles. This is one of the lessons being shared with Wai'anae coast junior and senior high school students through the annual "May Experience" speakers' program. Now in its seventh year in Wai'anae and Nanakuli intermediate and high schools, the "May Experience" will bring Hawaiian speakers to the students April 30 through May 11. "May Experience," a community-developed and supp>orted project, honors both traditional Hawaiian and bi-cultural role models for success. It is a networking project produced by the Hawai'i State Teachers' Association, the American Friends Service Committee, the Wai'anae Women's Support Group, and the state Department of Education Leeward District Hawaiian Studies Program. "May Experience" is also made possible with the help of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (whieh

has supported the project since 1983 with funding and in-kind aid) and the Kamehameha Schools Hawaiian Studies Institute. Speakers this year include: the OHA kupuna team (Betty Jenkins, Ulu Garmon and Maile Vargo) on "Hawaiian Values"; OHA cultural specialist archaeologist Earl "Buddy" Neller who will talk about Wai'anae archaeology and do "hands-on" activities; and OHA trustee Manu Kahaialii who will talk about "Hawaiians In The 21st Century," and share songs. Also speaking will be: Eric Enos, a taro farmer/artist and director of the Opelu Project; Keliiokekai Walter Paulo, fisherman and former fisheries consultant to the United Nations and World Bank; Hayden Burgess, former Wai'anae High School graduate, attorney and former OHA trustee; Beatrice Krauss, ethnobotanist; Kauila Clark, master potter specializing in children's art; Paula Akana, KITV news anchor; Earl Arruda,

president of the Hawai'i State Teachers' Association; Keone Nunes, Hawaiian culture and arts specialist; Agnes Cope director of the Wai'anae Coast Culture and Arts program; and judge Walter Heen.