HĀ Community Days
Across the state, schools, complex areas, and community partners are modeling HĀ in exciting and meaningful ways. In January and February 2017, 10 HĀ Design Teams partnered with OHE to host HĀ Community Days across the state after attending an OHE hosted Designers Convening in December 2016. Each design team included a school faculty or staff member, a student, and a community partner. The summit will be an opportunity for the Design Teams to share their lessons learned about partnering with community and incorporating students in the planning followed by group discussions on how to strengthen the HĀ movement in our local contexts. Please review each of the Community Day overviews to determine which session you would like to join the day of the summit.
KauaʻiDesign Team: Kauaʻi Complex Area, ʻEleʻele Elementary School, Waimea High School, Kamehameha Schools, Kupu Aʻe
Location: Nawiliwili Bay Watershed Video Mālama Hulē‘ia is a voluntary non-profit organization dedicated to improving key parts of the Nawiliwili Bay Watershed on Kaua`i by eliminating alien and highly invasive plant species. On January 29, 2017 65 students, school leaders, and community members came together to learn about and take part in the revitalization effort of the estuary through the clearing of mangrove and other hands-on learning experiences. Participants also learned about and reflected upon the Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ) framework. |
Hawaiʻi: NorthDesign Team: Kanu o Ka ʻĀina New Century Public Charter School and KALO
Location: Kanu o Ka ʻĀina NCPCS Video On February 20-21, approximately 300 students, teachers, administrators, 'ohana and community members from twelve of the Hawaiian culture-based participated in Kanu o ka Aina's HĀ community day. Students participated in a legislative youth summit that was organized, planned and facilitated in part by an inter-charter student leadership council named Ke Ea Hawai'i. Activities included panels and break out sessions to expose youth to legislative processes, support student led discussions regarding the needs of culture-focused charter schools, a hōʻike to share and exchange hula, oli and mele and games to build pilina across schools. The two day summit culminated in the creation of an art mural designed and painted by participants and supported by 808 Urban to reflect our place: Kipu'upu'u. |
Maui: HanaDesign Team: Hana High and Elementary School and Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke
Location: Hana High and Elementary School Video Students at the high school designed and led several activities based around the theme of Kalo for the pre-8th grade student’s learning and enjoyment. The day highlighted themes from the Kuʻi program that supports learning around traditional kalo practices and Hawaiian culture practices related to the conclusion of the Makahiki season. A rotating schedule was designed so that the Pre- 5 would visit all the different stations followed by the 6-8 grade students after lunch. Healthy and delicious snacks from the land were an important part of the program to keep the kids satisfied and energized throughout the day. |
MolokaʻiDesign Team: Molokai High, Molokai Middle, Native Hawaiian Education Council, Moloka'i Island Council, 21st CCLC Moloka'i LIVE
Location: Kaunakakai Elementary The island of Molokaʻi came together to host a Youth Summit titled, "Student Voices: Expanding Moloka‘i's Horizons." Prior to the youth summit, an island-wide student contest was launched asking students to share an art piece, video or essay on what Na Hopena A'o or HĀ means to them and what makes Moloka'i unique to them. During the summit, attendees were able to view the contest entries and learn the winners. They also heard from students, educators and community members via panels and discussions about what HĀ means to them and ways to collectively implement HĀ. They then participated in a collective activity to create BREATH indicators for Molokaʻi. |
Oʻahu: Campbell/KapoleiDesign Team: Campbell-Kapolei Complex, Project Lead The Way, The Learning Coalition, HIKI, The Leader Project and STEMS^2
Location: Camp Pālehua, Waiʻanae Mountain Range Video The Campbell/Kapolei Complex HĀ Community Day, or Hoʻowaiwai Pālehua, brought together educators and community members to examine sustainable processes that forge school-community partnerships, develop action plans that prepare students for contextual learning, and practice elevating HĀ consciousness and application. This was part of a larger effort to align their Project Lead the Way (PLTW) grant with HĀ and make the content and context of the PLTW activities more relevant to Hawaiʻi. Participants gathered at Camp Pālehua and used the place-based inquiry process to explore the ʻāina, learn the moʻolelo of the place, and identify opportunities for students to engage in sustainability efforts involving natural resources. Learn more about the day here. Learn more about Pālehua here. |
Oʻahu: KalihiDesign Team: Kalihi Waena Elementary and Hoʻoulu ʻĀina (Kokua Kalihi Valley)
Location: Hoʻoulu ʻĀina, Kalihi Valley Ho'oulu 'Āina sits on 100 acres in the back of Kalihi Valley. They work to address the health needs of Kalihi Valley by strengthening the connection between people and land. Teachers at Kalihi Waena Elementary have been taking students here in order to connect them with the classroom learning through hands-on, ʻāina based experiences. For their HĀ Community Day, they decided to partner with Hoʻoulu ʻĀina to create a HĀ professional development day for the entire faculty and staff at their school. The day focused on "relationships" — between students, families, community, school personnel, and between people and land. Staff engaged in 'āina-based activities to reinforce the concept of relationships and share moʻolelo from the people and places of Kalihi to strengthen their HĀ. Learn more about Hoʻoulu ʻĀina, here. |
Oʻahu: KaneoheDesign Team: Castle High School, Puʻohala Elementary School, Waikalua Loko Iʻa, and Pacific American Foundation
Location: Waikalua Loko Iʻa, Kaneohe Video The Kaneohe team hosted a HĀ Community Work Day at Waikalua Loko I`a open to all members of the windward community. Participants learned the moʻolelo of this ancient Hawaiian Fishpond and were able to malama ʻāina through hands on activities to help restore the pond to health. Participants also discussed the topics of stewardship and kuleana in relation to traditional Native Hawaiian practices and what their personal responsibility is to take care of the ʻāina. They then explored connections to HĀ) and how we can strengthen school and community partnerships. Learn more about Waikalua Loko Iʻa here. |
Oʻahu: HaleʻiwaDesign Team: Mililani High School, Loko Ea Fishpond, and KUPU
Location: Loko Ea Fishpond, Haleiwa Video On February 4, 2017, haumana (students) from Mililani High School led a community work day at Loko Ea Fishpond in Haleʻiwa - part of Kawailoa Ahupuaʻa on Oʻahuʻs north shore. Haumana were supported by staff from Loko Ea Fishpond, the Hui Mālama o Mililani Environmental Club of Mililani High and Kupu. Folks of all ages worked to restore the 400-year old fishpond. Following the hana (work), the haumana led participants through a reflection activity on the dayʻs learning at and how it connected to HĀ. Participants designed fish art work that described the aspects of HĀ they most connected with throughout the day. All of the HĀ fish reflections where then used to create a large mural where visitors can add their own HĀ reflections as they work to collectively restore the fishpond. Learn more about Loko Ea Fishpond here. |
Oʻahu: WaiʻanaeDesign Team: Waiʻanae Intermediate School, NOAA, and Department of Forestry and Wildlife
Location: Kaʻena Point Video This HĀ Community Service Learning experience brought students and families together to participate in aloha ʻāina activites intended to increase and strengthen their understanding of HĀ. The group hiked out to Kaʻena Point and broke out into smaller groups at different spots in the Reserve for interpretive lessons about native plants and animals. NOAA and Department of Forestry and Wildlife staff accompanied the group to promote awareness and appreciation of the Natural Area Reserve and direct participants in the removal of invasive plant species. |
OAHU: NānākuliDesign Team: Ka Waihona o Ka Naʻauao Public Charter School and PALS and PLACES
Location: Ka Waihona PCS, Nānākuli Video Kumu (teachers), haumana (students) and community partners came together to offer the ohana of Ka Wahihona PCS an evening of hands-on learning experiences focused around HĀ. It was an innovative way to engage ohana while building community connection to the school through Hawaiian cultural practices that allowed the kumu and haumana to showcase their own learning and skills. Haumana shared their work and helped guide their ohana through activities including poi pounding, Hawaiian star compass games, and mele (song). |