Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 7, 1 July 2009 — Student success a true measure of program's reach [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Student success a true measure of program's reach

By Jazzmin Cabanilla Special tn Ka Wai ūla Nā Pua No'eau, the Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian children is a nonprofit organization funded primarily by federal and state grants. Students who attend Nā Pua No'eau programs eome from all social and eeonomie backgrounds and many are able to participate because the programs are offered at no cost to the participants. Kamani Kuala'au, a vice president at Bank of Hawai'i and former Nā Pua No'eau student, is one individual who had the opportunity to attend the center's programs and aeknowledges the significant impact that government funding has on programming. In a recent survey, Kuala'au emphasized the importance of different funding sources to support culturalbased programs such as Nā Pua No'eau. "I would encourage all 'ōpio to consider the programs offered by Nā Pua No'eau," he wrote. "If the programs were not supported financially by govermnent and other contributors, I could not have attended." As a student, Kuala'au attended Summer Institute classes focusing on the sciences such as geology and ethnobotany. Although he later found his professional niehe in business, he fondly remembers attending science and cultural classes with educators whom he describes as "top-notch" kumu, such as Dr. lim Anderson of the University of Hawai'i; Dr. lim Kauahikaua, the scientist in charge at Hawai'i Volcano Observatory; and Aunty Kekuhi Kanahele, a renowned musician and cultural specialist. The ability to participate in Nā Pua No'eau programs enabled Kuala'au, a native of Maui, the opportunity to spend

time at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, learn from loeal educators and interact with other Native Hawaiian students in an educational atmosphere. Kuala'au recognizes the impact that attending the center's programs had on his personal life and worldview: "Nā Pua No'eau was probably the first program in my life that taught me there was more to the world than where I was and what I was doing every day. Spending time in Hilo with other students at the University of Hawai'i broadened my view of the world with our studies ..." Upon graduation from Kamehameha Schools, Kuala'au continued his education at Princeton University, where he graduated with an A.B. in sociology in 2001. (Some East Coast schools refer to the B.A. as an A.B.) After spending a few years working as a financial analyst consulting loeal govermnents in California, Kuala'au returned to Hawai'i in 2003. An active participant in the Hawaiian community, Kuala'au has recently been appointed a trustee to the King William Charles Lunalilo Trust. He also continues to support Nā Pua No'eau programs as a member of its scholarship coimnittee. According to Nā Pua No'eau Director Dr. David Sing: "The strength of Nā Pua No'eau is the design of its program to weave personal connections to role models, strengthen the students' understanding of their Hawaiian heritage through historical and culhiral understandings, and create a hnk to academic success as related to students' relationship to their 'ohana and their eommunity. The result is having students who have a confidence in their Hawaiian-ness and a connection of their academic success and career choices to 'ohana values and well-being." The continued financial support of programs such as Nā Pua No'eau is enieial. The educational opportunities that the center offers is limitless and the success of the program ean be measured by the accomplishments of its students. Eō' Kamani Kuala'au. ■ Jazz>mn Cabanilla is a vohmteer atNā Pua No'eau, whieh is one ofthe organiz,ations that receives fimding from OHA to conduct educationai enrichment programs for Hawaiian children. This is the third in a seri.es of articles featuring Nā PuaNo'eau students and kumu leadi.ng up to the center's 20th anniversary Hō'ike to be held Dec. 11, 2009. To leani more about Nā Pua No'eau programs and the upcoming Hō'ike, eall the Nā Pua No'eau office i.n Hilo at (808) 974-7678 or visi.t its Facebook page.

HO'ONA'AUAO ■ EDUCAĪION

KA WAI OLA | ĪHE LIVING WAĪER 0F OHA

Kamani KuūIū'ūu, above, was able to attend Nō Pua No'eau programs as a youth because government funding made it free for parficipanfs. Now a Bank of Hawai'i vice presidenf and frusfee for the Lunalilo Trust, Kuala'au, second from right, is shown with fellow trustees Harvey Mclnerny and Stanley Hong and Lunalilo Home interim executive director Dr. J. Kuhio Asam - Photo: lisa Asato; Student photo: Courtesy of Hā Pua Ho'eau