Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 9, 1 September 1996 — Waimānalo Elementary gets summer immersion school [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Waimānalo Elementary gets summer immersion school

By Kelli Meskin Waimānalo Elementciry school held a summer Hawaiian language immersion program with the help of an OHA grant. OHA's grant replaced Kamehameha School Bishop Estate's funding for this program. "We appreciate OHA's support, we tried to make good use of OHA's money and use it to educate and enrich the lives of students," said Waimānalo EIementary School principal Charles

Naumu. The children, a majority of them who are not in Hawaiian immersion school during the regular school year or are Hawaiian language speakers, ranged from kindergarten to 6 grade students. "They did wonderful," said Ku'ulei Akaka, who taught language and social studies. "The longer you

keep children in the language the quicker they'll begin to understand and eventually speak." The language ability of the students varied because their different ages, but a variety of field trips helped the ehildren leam their assignments. "We wanted to build on culture by going to different settings," Akaka explained.

The students went to Waiāhole to plant kalo, 'Iolani Palaee to see where Kalākaua and Lili'uokalani reigned, He'eia state park to see different 'ahupua'a and Waimānalo to view the geography of a sunken volcano. "Social studies ean be boring in class," Akaka said. She emphasized getting out and showing the children the actual sites and loeations of the class assignments. Guest speakers visited classes and spoke about what they do and the Hawaiian culture to give the children positive role models in the community and inspire them for future plans and goals.

Because Waimānalo does not have an immersion school, the demand for one created a summer immersion program. The program was originally planned as an after school immersion course but was reformed into a summer school immersion class that began in the summer of 1995.

Last year the program educated 60 students. This year a little over 80 students were in the program as well as four teachers, two from Pūnana Leo and two from Kula Kaiapuni 'o 'Ānuenue. The program, June 17 - July 29, was held at Blanche Pope school in the Waimānalo homestead. Every other summer Waimānalo Elementary and Blanche Pope switch campuses for summer school. There is a strong indication that the parents and families would Iike to see the program continue next summer, Naumu said. They will thoroughly investigate financial resources for next year. Naumu said he was pleased that Waimānalo Elementary was able to continue this program especially because this is the year of Hawaiian language, a time of pride. I "We started to look for alternative funding when KS/BE backed out," Naumu said,

expressing gratitude for OHA s sUpport. We view this as OHA's perpetuation of Hawaiian language and the eulture." Akaka expressed the importance of this program by saying that children who don't attend immersion school will have already begun to speak the language. They ean eontinue to leam the language or always eome back to it, she said. This program has strengthened their self-esteem and pride in knowing Hawaiian language, Hawaiian culture and that they are Hawaiian.

"We appreciate OHA's support, we tried to make good use of OHA's money and use it to educate and enrich the lives of students," - Charles Naumu

Students from the summer program pay a visit to Waiāhole Valley.

He'eia State Park: students in immersion program learned about the 'ahupua'a land divisions of old Hawai'i. Photos courtesy of Waimānalo Elementary School

Students put on a hula presentation as part of their immersion program activities.