Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 5, 1 May 2001 — What does OHA do for Hawaiians? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What does OHA do for Hawaiians?

Donald Cataluna V/ce Chair, Trustee, Kaua'i and Ni'ihau

Nā Pua No'eau, the Center for Gifted and Talented Hawaiian Children, is based on the philosophy that education should build upon the inherent talents that students have, rather than focus on their presumed deficiencies. The Center was established at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo in 1989. Defined as an enrichment program to raise the educational achievements of Native Hawaiian children from kindergarten through grade 12, the center's programs are steeped in Hawaiian culture, values and knowledge. The center works with families to give children the ability and confidence to choose successful paths for themselves in the world, without having to leave their Hawaiianess behind. For the past eight years, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has appropriated approxiinately $200,000 annually to Nā Pua No'eau, allowing first, for the expansion of the Center's Hilo-

based program. In 1994, the program was expanded to Kaua'i and Maui and then to O'ahu in 1995. Recently, Nā Pua No'eau established a presence on Moloka'i, and current plans are to expand to Lāna'i and West Hawai'i as well.

A few weeks ago, I received a thoughtful and inspiring letter from a program participant asking for continued support of Nā Pua No'eau. He said, "Eaeh summer since my 7th grade year at Kamehameha Schools, I have been privileged to attend Nā Pua No'eau. My experiences have taught me two important perspectives, the haole

perspective and the Hawaiian perspective, and how my Hawaiian values ean be integrated with haole values, in the western sense. "This past summer, I attended the Molokai Nui A Hina Class II. This was a two-week session of camping for 10 days in Wailau, one of the most remote valleys in Hawai'i. I was able to fish, piek hīhīwai, eook over an open fire, sleep on rocks and shower in a river. I learned to use what I had in the environment. And, through this experience, I am inspired to pursue a career in environmental law. So mueh needs to be done to protect Hawai'i's natural resources. "I have always believed that education is the foundation for Hawaiians to succeed. Our ancestors were brilliant people. We should be too. If Nā Pua No'eau is secure in its motivation of Hawaiian students to go to college and educate themselves, then maybe the future of Hawai'i will be secured." This student's letter speaks elo-

quently of the value and importance of Nā Pua No'eau. How proud his parents must be! How proud all of us should be! But we have only begun to touch on the benefits of Nā Pua No'eau. First, participation is available to students from all schools who may wish to attend. Second, the Center serves as a resource for teachers and educational institutions in Hawai'i, providing teacher in-service training using its program models, activ- . ities and practices. Third, and perhaps most important, students learn how to care for the people and the earth around them; acknowledge the spiritual core of the world under study; and involve the mind, body and na'au to create hands-on learning that excites both the mind and the emotions. Nā Pua No'eau, the Center for Gifted and Talented Hawaiian Children, is one answer to the question we are so often asked: What does the Office of Hawaiian Affairs do for Hawaiians? ■

For the past eight years , the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has appropriated approximately $200,000 annually to Nā Pua No'eau