Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 4, 1 April 2021 — Ho'ona'auao: Education, Our Most lmportant Strategic Priority... [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ho'ona'auao: Education, Our Most lmportant Strategic Priority...

Welina! Aloha mai kākou! This month I am featuring Dr. Glenn Medeiros, our very own homegrown boy from Lāwa'i, Kaua'i whose education took him from singer/musician to President of Saint Louis Higli School! He wanted to share his journey. Mahalo nui, Dr. Medeiros! Iam excited to announee that I am writing a book about the lessons that I have learned both in the music industry and in education, and I wanted to share these with you! My intention in writing this book has always been, and will always be, to help our keiki as they maneuver through their educational journeys. By sharing what I have learned and experi-

enced after 35 years as a protessional musician and over 20 years as an educator, I challenge them to look at education from a different perspective: 1. GET YOUR EDUCATION FIRST a. Talent takes time to develop, from mimicking others at a young age, to creating your own sound. Open your mind to a world of new knowledge and skills. I say, "follow your DREAMS and don't let anyone stop you." Why just have one dream? Most people love many things. Why not be a musician and an educator, an accountant, or a lawyer? Remember, success takes hard work, but it also takes a lot of luek too. By either going to school or having a day job, you are more likely to make decisions in the music business that are best for you. 2. MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICES a. Everyone will tell you what is wrong with you and your music, but you must remember that most opinions are coming from people who stand to benefit from the choices you make. You know what is best for yourself. Listen to what others say, reflect upon their words, and then make your own decisions. b. Remember that you are the only

person that will have to live with the legacy you leave behind. e. Stay away from drugs, aleohol, etc. With the harsh environment faced when working long hours and traveling on the road for weeks or months at a time. The truth is that it ruins not only your life, but often the lives of your family members and friends who love you the most. 3. IT IS IMPORTANT TO BUILD COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR STUDENTS a. Everyone is intelligent in their own way. We know through research on multiple intelligences by Howard Gardner of Harvard University that the traditional

iiicasuies of intelligence are logical and mathematical intelligence whieh makes for good lawyers, scientists, mathematicians and engineers, but there are so many other skills needed in the world we live in and that our students are naturally wired for. It is important for schools to expose students to these learning styles and provide them with opportunities to grow their respective "intelligences." b. If students believe in themselves and value education, very little ean stop them from experiencing success in school - regardless of their socioeeonomie status. 4. MASTERY OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS Expose students to diverse facts and opinions. With a world of information at the fingertips of students today, it is vital that they learn the skills needed to be able to distinguish between what is fact and simply opinion, and and to teach them to develop new and original thoughts while cementing what they' ve learned in their mind. By providing our students with real-world problems to solve, we better prepare them for a future where, regardless of what kind of occupations are available, they will be greatly needed. A hui hou kākou until May, Trustee Leina'ala Ahu Isa ■

Leina'ala Ahu lsa, Ph.ū. VicB Chsir, TrustEB. At-laryE