Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 4, 1 April 2010 — OHA in the community [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

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OHA in the community

featuring native hawaiian news, features and events ka wai ola | the living water of OHA

NEW AWARD HONORS HAWAIIAN EDUCATORS

OHA Trustee Oswald "0z" Stender has been named a recipient of the I Ulu I Ke Kumu Award inaugurated this year by the University of Hawai'i's Hawai'inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge in recognition of outstanding commitment to Native Hawaiian education. Trustee Stender is pictured at right with fellow award recipients, from left, Aunty Lolena Nicholas, Unele William Aijā Sr. and Lilikalā Kame'eleihiwa; not pictured are recipients Haunani-Kay Trask, Manu Ka'iama and the hui Ho'okahe Wai Ho'oulu 'Āina. (For an excerpt of a speech on behalf of the Ho'okahe hui, see Trustee Colette Machado's eolumn on page 1 5). The seven honorees were celebrated at a March 4 dinner ceremony at the Center for Hawaiian Studies. Hawai'inuiākea Dean Maenette Benham praised Trustee Stender for his courage in tackling difficult challenges in Native Hawaiian education. "He does it with grace, deep thought and an eye on ourfuture," she said in a news release. "Indeed, he exemplifies everything we seek in leadership today . . . the spirit of gratitude, integrity and aloha." The award will be presented annually as a reflection of the wisdom of the Hawaiian proverb, I ulu no ka lālā i ke kumu, "the branches grow because of the trunk." Benham said this 'ōlelo no'eau recognizes the power of mentorship. For eaeh recipient, at least $1 ,500 is being donated to the Hawai'inuiākea student scholarship and enrichment funds. - Photo: Courtesy of Hawai'inuiākea School ofHawaiian Knowledge