Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1990 — Na Pua Noʻeau turns kids on to learning [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Na Pua Noʻeau turns kids on to learning

By Deborah L. Ward Take a beautifui summer day, an outing with something fun and interesting to do, add kids with special talents in arts, language and sciencfe, and mix with stimulating intellectual guidance from university professors, and what do you get? A journey towards self-discovery and academic enrichment with the Na Pua No'eau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children. This summer in July, 97 Hawaiian children from throughout the state took part in the center's summer institute, a program of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. From studying the profound achievements of ancient Hawaiians in oeean voyaging to the slick tricks of space-age video production, the talented 7th through 12th grade youngsters tackled problems and projects wortho of a graduate student. Programs were from one to four weeks long and included visual and performing arts, study of the Hokule'a voyaging eanoe, field geography, intensive Hawaiian language, aquaculture and video production. The Hokule'a was brought to Hilo for the classes and 7th and 8th graders in the group visited and sailed on the famed eanoe. They learned to look at the double-hulled eanoe as a instrument of rediscovery and to leam how their ancestors made voyaging possible. Astronomer, philosopher and self-described "sky guru" Will Kyselka, along with instructors Chris Arbles and Tom Correa, planned the course to give students a ehanee to examine in depth the many aspects of Polynesian voyaging, from the native arts of constructing the Hokule'a, to the skills of a navigator in learning and reading the stars. sky, wind and wave currents. Dissolves, cuts, wipes and high-tech tricks are no mystery to students of today's video generation who learned to produce their own videotapes in classes taught by Heather Giugni and Esther Figueroa. Students honed their techniques and

leamed to use camera and editing equipment by filming the other Na Pua No'eau classes. They even generated their own music videos to the beat of "Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer. Students visited Honolulu newscasters in the station and saw the high-technology work of the Pacific Focus production company. Not surprisingly, several said they are now considering a career in video production. Na Pua No'eau Center Director David Kekaulike Sing, PhD, said that in the coming year the program will continue the same kinds of enrichment activities whieh were begun last year, including the summer institute and the "Super Saturday" and "Super Spring Break" events that feature arts, athletics, science and Hawaiian language, arts and cu!ture. Sing is planning to seek increased funds through federal programs for gifted and talented children to expand the program to other islands. The Na Pua No'eau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children wasfunded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education of $790,400 for fiscal year 1989 The program is authorized through the Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary Schoo! Improvements of 1988 (P.L. 100-297). U.S. Rep. Daniel K. Akaka was a co-sponsor of the bill and Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Spark M. Matsunaga were conferees.

By T. Kulani Calina J ♦ Two Big Island students gained more than the fundamentals of education at Na Pua No'eau Summer Institute on the University of Hawai'i at Hilo campus. The institute, conducted by the Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children, seeks to increase the opportunities for children of Hawaiian ancestry to participate in gifted and talented programs statewide. Albert Maldonado Jr., a seventh grader from Kalanianaole Intermediate, was a participant in the institute's Hawai'i in Profile program. The program introduces students to the range of physical environments found on the Big Island and the natural methods that produced them. Dr. Ron Terry, assistant professor of geography, identified Maldonado as showing great potential in science. Terry said that the program definitely affects students like Maldonado, in a positive manner. Terry recalled an overnight field trip the students took to Mahukona on the Kohala coast. The students witnessed several large manta ray fish feeding at night near the shoreline. The students were standing in awe at the sight, Terry said. Esther Visaya, a student from Pahoa Intermediate, participated in the Institute's Ka Kakou 'Olelo program, an intense, two week long Hawaiian language course. Visaya is a member of Pahoa Intermediate's Hawaiian language club and a dancer for hula halau Na Pua O Ke Ko'olani. Na Pua No'eau recognizes gifts and talents in creativity, visual and performing arts, specific subjects, leadership, and coordination. Kaipo Farias, Ka Kakou 'Olelo instructor, said the class material emphasizes self-discipline and cultural awareness. The Summer Institute requires participants to live in dormitories during instruction. The students are assigned special counselors. The Institute offered programs in aquaculture, Hokule'a, visual and performing arts, and video production. Na Pua No'eau is one of five education projects funded by the federal government in 1989 to raise the educational status of native Hawaiiāns. The center is on the University of Hawai'i Hilo campus. For more information on programs and the center's operation eall (808) 933-3678. T. Kulani Calina is a senior at UH Manoa, majoring in journalism.

UH Hilo aquaculture professor Dr. Kevin Hopkins shows students Sarah Visaya (seated) and Terry Mole (right) how to artificially spawn and fertilize tilapia eggs.