Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 8, 1 August 2007 — Youth leaders visit OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Youth leaders visit OHA

By ŪHA education stafF Last month, about 35 students from the 'Aha 'Ōpio Alaka'i youth leadership program visited the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The 'ōpio, or youth, in the program, whieh is funded by OHA and administered by Nā Pua No'eau: The Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children, were from the islands of Hawai'i, Maui, O'ahu and Kaua'i and were on O'ahu for two weeks to learn about community concerns and problem-solving as part of their training as future pohcy makers. The purpose of their visit to OHA was to learn how the agency serves the Hawaiian eommunity. After being welcomed with oli by Education Director Hau'oh Akaka, they were greeted by OHA Administrator Clyde Nāmu'o, who appeared encouraged by their knowledge and awareness of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act as well as OHA's Kau Inoa initiative. Nearly all of the students plan to go on to college. The administrator encouraged them, saying, "Hawaiian leadership is absolutely essential . . . you ean be a leader today, you

don't have to wait until you grow up." After a presentation by Hawaiian Governance's staff and youthful interns, the youth visited the various departments of OHA to learn about the agency's own prob-lem-solving and policy-making strategies. For two days the youth also visited 'Ōlelo Community Television in Māpunapuna, where they learned to use 'Ōlelo's TV studio and equipment. Their media essays on water, land and cultural rights will be aired at a later date. In addition, several of the older students visited OHA's morning radio program, "Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino," to kūkākūkā with hosts Brickwood Galuteria and Kimo Kaho'āno. Wai'anae High School student Dayzina Lawson shared how she was touched by a site presentation on Mākua Valley by community leader William 'Ailā. Fellow Wai'anae "Searider" Alika Kea stated that the program opened his eyes to problems in his community. He said of homelessness at Mā'ili: "You ean see Mā'ili beach now (after the eleanup of the homeless eneampments there), but in a way we need to fix

the bigger problem of homelessness." The program ended with two Hawaiianlanguage immersion students speaking in their native tongue. Puahala Nguyen of Nāwahlokalani'ōpu'u in Kea'au, Hawai'i, said, "Kūlia i ka nu'u," or "strive to do one's best." Ikaika Lopez of Kula Kaiapuni 0 Ānuenue exhorted listeners by saying, "Mai koho i ke alanui maika'i 'ole; e koho 1 ke alanui maika'i," or "don't choose the wrong path; choose the right path." Both of them ended the program by chanting "Ua Ao Hawai'i," a chant premiered at a Hawaiian leadership conference in Hilo

and written by Professor Larry Kauanoe Kimura of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. Students interested in 'Aha 'Ōpio Alaka'i should contact the program's coordinator, Amanda Masuyama, at Nā Pua No'eau, 808-974-7678. Students need to be sophomores, demonstrate leadership potential and participate or be enrolled in one of the following agencies: Nā Pua No'eau, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, Kamehameha Schools, Nā Lei Na'auao Native Hawaiian Charter Schools Allianee, Alu Like or Bishop Museum. E3

HO 'ONA'AUAO • EDUCATIDN

'Ahū 'Ōpio Alakū'i students visited 0HA's boordroom ūs part of their program, whieh teaches them about problem-solving and leadership. - Photo: Sterling Kini Wong