{"id":205047,"date":"2024-10-15T14:52:11","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T00:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=205047"},"modified":"2024-10-16T14:49:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T00:49:40","slug":"new-uh-program-empowers-hawaiian-immersion-keiki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/10\/15\/new-uh-program-empowers-hawaiian-immersion-keiki\/","title":{"rendered":"New UH<\/abbr> program empowers Hawaiian immersion keiki"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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The program aims to develop future leaders grounded in Hawaiian language and culture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a significant step to increase Native Hawaiian student enrollment and graduation rates at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, a new program tailored for Hawaiian immersion students is paving the way for future leaders. The year-round initiative, Nā ʻŌpio<\/span> Kaʻapeha<\/span>, opens the door for haumāna in grades 6–12 to explore STEAM<\/abbr> (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) pathways within higher education.<\/p>\n

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The hands-on learning experience transported students to iconic museums.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In early October, 17 haumāna from Kula Kaiapuni schools across Oʻahu<\/span>, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island, and Maui recently returned from an inspiring free five-day huakaʻi<\/span> (field trip) to California. Hosted by Nā Pua Noʻeau<\/span> (NPN<\/abbr>) UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa<\/a> and State of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Department of Education Office of Hawaiian Education, haumāna engaged in hands-on STEAM<\/abbr> experiences at Disney\u2019s Imagination Campus and iconic museums, enhancing their research skills related to ʻāina<\/span> (land).<\/p>\n

“We want to inspire Hawaiian immersion students through exceptional opportunities that are rooted in the richness of Hawaiian language and culture,” said Kinohi Gomes, director at Nā Pua Noʻeau<\/span> UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. “By bridging their middle and high school education with postsecondary and career pathways, it can open doors to a wealth of university and community resources.”<\/p>\n

Creating Hawaiian leaders<\/h2>\n
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Haumāna also visited Disney\u2019s Imagination Campus and Disneyland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Launched in fall 2023, the NPN<\/abbr> program\u2019s theme, ʻĀina<\/span> Kau I Ka Wēkiu\u2014Our Pristine Uplands, encouraged students to set goals and develop perspectives as future leaders and caretakers of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s natural resources. Monthly huakaʻi<\/span> focused on the history and significance of various wahi pana (storied places) on their islands, allowing haumāna to connect ʻāina<\/span>-based learning with real-world experiences at UH<\/abbr> campuses.<\/p>\n

“Makemake au e hoʻomau<\/span> i ke aʻo<\/span> ʻana<\/span> no Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> a no laila, e komo ana au i ka mekia o ʻike<\/span> Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. (I see myself majoring in Hawaiian studies because I want to continue learning and better understand Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>),” said Kaleonahe Paleka, a junior at Ke Kula Kaiapuni O Ānuenue.<\/p>\n

This past June, nearly 100 Native Hawaiian students participated in NPN<\/abbr>\u2019s two-week Summer Institute at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, where they engaged in hands-on activities ranging from brain anatomy to lei making.<\/p>\n

For 11th grader Kekaimalino Yanagi, the trip to California reshaped his approach to college applications.
\n“Noʻu<\/span> ke kula nui, kamaʻilio<\/span> lākou e pili ana i ka hoʻohana<\/span> i nā mea i loaʻa<\/span> ʻoe<\/span>. E like me ka kumu, ke kumu kākoʻo<\/span>, kou a\u2026nā papa tuta, no ka mea, kōkua lākou iā ʻoe<\/span>, kēlā kā lākou hana, kā lākou ʻoihana<\/span>. (It helped me understand what resources I should use like my teachers or my counselor. And how I should go to them for help instead of trying to do it by myself),” Yanagi said.<\/p>\n

NPN<\/abbr>, which is part of the campus\u2019 Â鶹´«Ã½nuiākea<\/span> School of Hawaiian Knowledge<\/a> and Native Hawaiian Student Services<\/a>, has run programs for students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade since its inception in 1989.<\/p>\n

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Students from Kula Kaiapuni schools on Oʻahu,<\/span> Maui and Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island participated.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nā ʻŌpio<\/span> Kaʻapeha<\/span>, opens the door for haumāna in grades 6–12 to explore STEAM<\/abbr> pathways within higher education. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[33,1057,1500,551,1465,371,1531,313,9],"class_list":["post-205047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-hawaiian","tag-hawaiian-language","tag-hawaiian-studies","tag-hawaiinuiakea-school-of-hawaiian-knowledge","tag-manoa-native-hawaiian-place-of-learning","tag-na-pua-noeau","tag-native-hawaiian-student-services","tag-stem","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205047"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":205077,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205047\/revisions\/205077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=205047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=205047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}