{"id":238108,"date":"2026-07-28T13:50:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T23:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=238108"},"modified":"2026-07-28T20:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T06:37:21","slug":"hilo-hawaiian-immersion-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/28\/hilo-hawaiian-immersion-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> Hilo program grows tomorrow\u2019s Hawaiian immersion teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Kahuawaiola candidates Kealo Nasau and Kailena Akau lead students at Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki<\/span> Lab Public Charter School<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Hawaiian language immersion schools across the state work to fill a critical teacher shortage, the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Hilo is preparing the next generation of educators through a program rooted in language, culture and community.<\/p>\n

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Tahiti Chong strives to bridge classroom learning with ʻāina<\/span> (land).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For 25 years, the Kahuawaiola Hawaiian and Indigenous Teacher Training Program has trained future kumu (teachers) through Hawaiian language instruction, extensive classroom experience and mentorship from a statewide network of graduates. The program has become a driving force in strengthening Hawaiian medium education and revitalizing ʻ\u014dlelo Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> (Hawaiian language).<\/p>\n

For candidate Tahiti Chong, the journey is deeply personal. She said her true calling as an educator crystallized when she became a mother.<\/p>\n

“I knew that I wanted to raise my daughter in our ʻ\u014dlelo Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

She aims to show keiki that subjects like math and science are inherently woven into traditional everyday practices.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s a lot of looking back to move forward,” Chong said, explaining that she draws strength from seeing all her kuaʻana Kahuawaiola<\/span> (older brothers and sisters from the program) who are now pillars in the l\u0101hui (Hawaiian community), and “we want to make them and all of our ʻohana (family) proud.”<\/p>\n

Learn more about inspiring Kahuawaiola candidates.<\/a><\/p>\n

Many candidates said they began seeking a professional calling anchored in ancestral identity after attending the undergraduate Hawaiian studies program at UH<\/abbr> Hilo\u2019s Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelik\u014dlani<\/span> College of Hawaiian Language.<\/a><\/p>\n

Read the full story in K\u016bkala N\u016bhou to learn how Kahuawaiola is addressing Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>‘s teacher shortage while investing in the future of ʻ\u014dlelo Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/a><\/p>\n

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(from left): Kanoe Kanakaʻole<\/span>, Roy McGrath, Kealo Nasau, Kailena Akau, Tahiti Chong and Kanani M\u0101kaʻimoku<\/span>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UH<\/abbr> Hilo Kahuawaiola Hawaiian and Indigenous Teacher Training Program trains future kumu through Hawaiian language and mentorship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":238138,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[204,1057,316,14],"class_list":["post-238108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-education","tag-hawaiian-language","tag-ka-haka-ula-o-keelikolani","tag-uh-hilo","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t