{"id":239510,"date":"2026-08-25T12:59:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T22:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=239510"},"modified":"2026-08-25T13:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T23:03:14","slug":"windward-cc-keiki-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/25\/windward-cc-keiki-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"Family, fish, fun at Windward CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Keiki Reading Day"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>
\"Children
Keiki and their ʻohana<\/span> gather for Hawaiian storytelling at Hale Laʻakea Library.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 150 community members gathered at Windward Community College\u2019s Hale Laʻakea<\/span> Library in August for E Heluhelu K\u0101kou! (Let\u2019s Read!) Swimmin\u2019 Into Stories, the college\u2019s second annual Keiki (children) Reading Day.<\/p>\n

\"Children
UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Librarian Keahiahi Long leads keiki and their ʻohana in hula during Keiki Reading Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year\u2019s event celebrated iʻa<\/span> (fish), inviting keiki and their ʻohana<\/span> (family) to experience the library through Hawaiian storytelling, mele, hula and hands-on activities. Keiki explored the library through a scavenger hunt, created fish-themed crafts and tried gyotaku fish printing.<\/p>\n

“Keiki Reading Day gives our youngest community members a positive, welcoming first experience with the library and our college. We hope that connection stays with them, and that they think of Windward Community College as a place they belong when it\u2019s their turn to pursue higher education,” said Cindy Texeira, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> resource librarian.<\/p>\n

\"People
Shandry Lopes, Ardis Eschenberg and Scot Matayoshi create fish-themed paper crafts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Librarian Keahiahi Long and library and information science students volunteered at the event, reading to keiki, sharing moʻ\u014dlelo<\/span> (stories) in Hawaiian and leading crafts and more.<\/p>\n

Several ʻohana<\/span> who participated in the inaugural event returned this year. Families shared positive feedback about exploring the library and activities.<\/p>\n

—By Nakoa Camvel<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Child
A keiki tries gyotaku fish printing during the ocean-themed activities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keiki dive into reading at the Windward CC<\/abbr> library.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":239521,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[207,71,66],"class_list":["post-239510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-library","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-windward-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\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