Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 5, 1 Mei 2017 — INVESTING IN HAWAII'S KEIKI [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

INVESTING IN HAWAII'S KEIKI

Supporting our Howoiian Focused Charter Schools ('Aha Kula Ho'amana)...

A Visit to Kua O Ka La New Century Public Charter School! <ua O Ka La Public Charter School is a Hawaiian culture-driven school that sits on a 600-acre ancient Hawaiian coastal village site in the district of Puna. It began with 26 students in grades 6-8, and now has 145 students K-3 and 6-12. Principal Pilimai Traub and senior class members Hope Butay and Karley Rose were so kind in

showing me around their grounds and facilities. Mahalo nui loa! Their Vision: Kua O Ka La will develop and provide an opportunity to create a sustainable livelihood for the individual learner through understanding of one's kuleana, 'ohana and wahi; responsibility, family, place-in-relationship to his or her eommunity. Source: www.chartercommission.

hawaii.gov. One of the Projects: The charter school's Junior Forest TEAM (Tropical Forest Ecosystem and Agroforestry Management) is affiliated with Hawai'i Community College. Students made a trip to Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) and helped with a range of projects and practices whieh included traditional protocol, revegetation, erosion control, and the redistribution of native plants.

They also have an annual Tree Giveaway where they give away trees with HELCO providing their offices as host sites. The six trees that were given away included kou, milo, niu (coconut), kukui, lama and puhala (pandanus). Please enjoy the pictures of Kua o Ka La! A hui hou, Trustee Leina'ala ■

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Leina'ala Ahu lsa, Ph.D. Trustee, At-large

STudents from Kua 0 Ka La New Century Public Charter School. - Photos: lei Ahu lsa