Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 4, 1 April 1992 — Programs spot gifted Hawaiian students [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Programs spot gifted Hawaiian students

by T. Kulani Calina The event is Super Technology Saturday. The Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children (Na Pua No'eau) offers speeial enrichment programs, like Super Saturdays, to act as catalysts for the identification of gifted Hawaiian students. The center is dedicated to developing new

assessment pro-| cedures that proved culturally as well as performanee appropriate f-or Native Hawaiians. Super Saturdays service students enrolled in elementary through the 9th grade from public and private institutions throughout the Big lsland. Inviting these students to the university campus to interact and participate in classes charged with hands-on experience builds a deeper interest in education.

Dr. Namal Priyantha, an assistant professor in chemistry at UHH, instructed a class in Kitchen Chemistry. Priyantha said, "I wanted (the children) to find out how ehemieal reactions ean be used to build-up high technology." Priyantha's passion is to generate more interest in the physical sciences. "They all were ready to go," Priyantha said. "In fact, some of them wanted more."

Priyantha took simple compounds found in the kitchen to demonstrate carbon dioxides in the air. Utilizing these compounds, he guided students through an experiment in whieh an acidic indicator, made from cabbage juice, changed color in a beaker. Priyantha said he was oveijoyed at the interest the children showed in the experiments.

Children who are curious and take it a step further to ask "why" show gifted potential, he explained. Program instructors are encouraged to be creative in introducing participants into subject matter. Hawaiian technology language, litera-

ture, and implements are utilized to familiarize students with subject matter. In "Papa 'Olelo Hawai'i students were immersed in Hawaiian language through eomparisons of technologies past and present. Thev participated in animated

discussions about household appliances, eomputers and modern-day conveniences. Na'ilima Gaison, head of Hawaiian language instruction at the Punana Leo Preschool in Hilo, said that by the first meeting students "talk story" and it opens the door to the language of Hawai'i. He said, "I grab them (their interest) and then I hold onto them."

"A refrigerator is not just a refrigerator it's a pahu hau (iee box)," Gaison said. Understanding that in ancient times there were no refrigerators, ties in the culture of Hawai'i to language lessons, he added.

The center's Director Dr. David Sing said technology is important as the tools by whieh we teach. When teaching astronomy to Hawaiian students why not use the Hokule'a as an example of technology, Sing said. Dr. 'Alepa Hunter said that by providing programs that go beyond the routine of school creates an atmosphere of exploration. Hunter,

coordinator tor btudent and Farent bupport, said students gain self-esteem because they emphasize their uniqueness. Hunter is also co-chairperson of the Hawaiian Family afFair. The fair set for Saturday, Apiil 4, at UHH offers a calabash of workshops on education, health, and social/cultural activities. The fair is coordinated by UHH through Na Pua No'eau and the Governors Council for IJteracy. For more information concerning the eenter's programs and the up-coming Family afFair, eall 933-3678 in Hilo.

Ku'u Paullno

Dr. Namal Priyantha helps a young Native Hawaiian prepare a ,Mkitchen chemistry" lesson. I