Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 11, 1 November 2010 — Expanding education for Hawaiian children [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Expanding education for Hawaiian children

f it takes a village to raise a child, partnerships in education are equally important. Nā Pua No'eau, the center for gifted and talented Native Hawaiian children, counts among its graduates medical doctors, teachers, business professionals, community leaders and researchers, and the center gives mueh credit to OHA for helping it nurture thousands of young Hawaiian minds. "Through OHA we have been able to build from a one-time only type of program to a continuum of programs that offers students continuous opportunities - a pathway to higher achievement and higher aspirations and into higher education," said David Sing, Nā Pua No 'eau Director. "The increase of Native Hawaiian enrollment and graduation from the University of Hawai'i campuses is a direct result of the years of investment that OHA has made in supporting NPN's work. There are limited opportunities offered through regular school for students to leam about their Native Hawaiian history, culture, language, traditionalpractices andperspective. The opportunities provided by NPN is not only what it offers the students it serves but the model it has provided for other Hawaiian education programs to follow." Nā Pua No'eau has served 17,000 students in grades K-12 since it started providing programs in 1 990. Funding from OHA has gone toward design, development and implementation of Hawaiian education programs and events. OHA funding was also eiueial in the program's ability to expand from UH-Hilo to all the islands. "How important is that?" Sing asks. "It is essential to have our centers serving all of the Hawaiian conununities in a manner that is responsive to their needs and resources. Having a Center on Lāna'i, for example, has provided a greater sense of pride and awareness of how being Hawaiian and leaming goes hand in hand." — Lisa Asato I

Education

Students in the 2008 Nā Pua No'eau Summer lnstitute follow their kumu along a fishpond wall in Hilo during the Reef Walkers class. - Photo: Courtesy of Hā Pua Ho'eau. hhgh^Dc * a