Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 3, 1 March 2017 — OHA replaces Stevenson Middle's stolen instruments [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA replaces Stevenson Middle's stolen instruments

Joint OHA-ŪOE News Release

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs donated four musical instruments to Stevenson Middle School, whieh serves a large Native Hawaiian community, to replace those that were stolen last week. "We are so blessed to have eommunity partners like OHA who took the initiative to reach out to our school after the incident," said Principal Linell Dilwith. "Music is such an important part of our students' education experience, and having these instruments replaced will allow us to continue to incorporate it. These students won't miss a beat because of

OHA's generosity." OHA Chair Colette Y. Machado, OHA Vice Chair Dan Ahuna and Chief Executive Officer, Ka Pouhana Kamana'opono Crabbe visited the campus and presented two 'ukulele, a llute, a pieeolo, carrying cases and strings to school officials. "I was heartbroken when I heard about the burglary at Stevenson," said OHA Chair Machado. "This is our 'ohana and these are our keiki. When someone steals from your 'ohana, the 'ohana comes together to kōkua to make it pono. That's what we are doing here today:

making things pono for the keiki." According to the Department of Education enrollment numbers for SY15-16, Native Hawaiians represent the largest single ethnic group at Stevenson Middle School, whieh is located next to the Papakōlea Hawaiian homestead community. ' Music is a pu 'uhonua ( sanctuary) for many of our keiki; it is what brings and keeps them in school," said Crabbe. "Given that many of the students at Stevenson are our beneficiaries, our hope is that by replacing these instruments we ean help preserve this pu'uhonua for our keiki." "OHA also expresses our mahalo to Easy Music

Center and Music Center of Hawai'i for providing discounts for the instruments and supplies," said Chair Machado. Established by the state Constitutional Convention in 1978, OHA is a semi-autonomous state agency mandated to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians. Guided by a board of nine publically elected trustees, OHA fulfills its mandate through advocacy, research, community engagement, land management and the funding of community grants and programs. ■

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Stevenson Middle School students thanked Office of Hawaiian Affairs leaders for replacing their stolen instruments. - Photos: Courtesyofthe Department of Education

(L-R) 0HA's Ka Pouhana Kamana'opono Crabbe, Vice Chair Dan Ahuna, Kūhiō Lewis, Sterling Wong, D0E CAS Ruth Silberstein, OHA Chair Colette Machado and Principal Linell Dilwith following 0HA's gift presentation at Stevenson Middle School.