Mauli Lāhui (community well-being) on Hawaiʻi island is a connection – through culture – to ʻāina, to people, and to ancestral excellence. We also have a kuleana to ensure local and global citizens and servant leaders who value agency of self and the lāhui. Community members across the island highlighted this at Strategic Plan 2020 outreach events. Lessons learned by KS programs and partners along with the insights of the community reaffirmed the needs and hopes of our communities around aloha ʻāina, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, and hoʻōla lāhui.
EARLY LEARNING
Hānai Pūnua
Early learning is an early adoption focus area for the East Hawai’i Region. We believe that connection to ʻohana, ʻāina and culture from a young age are important factors to academic success, overall well-being, and fostering a growth mindset. The children of today, become the elders of tomorrow and by engaging ʻohana and keiki from birth, through the ways of our kūpuna, we strive to increase those connections across generations. To meet this task, we will prioritize system changes providing more opportunities for ‘Ohana Engagement and early childhood learning across the region through collaborations and partnerships to collectively serve our youth and their many needs with short term outcomes in early learning participation.
- System Measures
- Increased ECE professional development opportunities
- Increase ʻohana engagement
- 2020 Measure
- Increased NH in preschools
- Increased PKS opportunities
K-12 EDUCATION
Connecting Cultural Resources
Our focus is multi-fold and includes traditional cultural site identification and Hawaiian Leadership development. Connecting the multitude of vibrant cultural resources in East Hawai’i is an important element in advancing the East Hawaiʻi region. As poʻe Hawaiʻi, we have deep physical, spiritual, and genealogical connections to ‘āina and place. In order to normalize this connection, we need to identify, assess, and categorize the different significant sites in East Hawaiʻi, primarily in the wao kanaka, that we should care for and access through our educational and cultural efforts.
By capitalizing on the richness of knowledge that already exists here, we can help cultivate a generation of youth who exemplify “E Hoʻokanaka” with a mental model of excellence grounded and connected to ʻāina and culture. These youth become the makua and leaders of our future who are engaged in our community locally and globally. These system outcomes, we believe will produce haumāna ready for the current measures of achievement through high school completion.
- System Measures
- Increased HCBE options
- Increased Native Hawaiian identity
- Growth in mental models of excellence
- Increased ʻohana in educational experience
- 2020 Measures
- Growth in grade 3 ELA literacy
- Growth in grade 8 math literacy
- Growth in graduation persistence
COLLEGE AND CAREER
East Hawaiʻi has a unique opportunity to offer varied postsecondary opportunities in traditional high education and technical training. In the heart of Hilo, the University of Hawaiʻi system houses a four year and a two your campus for postsecondary education. By maximizing our resources to impact effective change in the lives of kanaka through collaborations and innovated projects, postsecondary learners have options to gain the necessary skills and training that connect learners to culturally aligned opportunities.
- System Measures
- Establish partnership with UHH and HawCC
- Innovate industry/entrepreneurial building opportunities
- 2020 Measures
- Increased postsecondary completion
ʻĀINA AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Building Community
By utilizing the ‘āina in the ways it shows us it is ready for, we can make the connections to our learners and our communities that will strengthen connection to place and foster the fulfillment of kuleana to our ‘āina on a larger scale. We strive to utilize our lands in ways that are respectful, sustainable, and culturally appropriate, and listen when the ‘āina tells us that we should not be there. We will utilize our various sites as they directly relate to the tasks or lessons at hand so that we act appropriately according to our cultural norms, and not those of the Western perspectives. Our focus areas in the next five years include enhancing the Natural Resource Management at Keauhou, Kapāpala, Kaʻū, growing the Agriculture Industry at Hāmākua, and establishing the Kumuola Education Center at Honohononui , Waiākea, Hilo. Keauhou, Kaʻū Natural Resource Management will include a new model for tiered experiences that offer relevant curriculum and appropriate access to sensitive environments. Kumuola Education Center will explore models for economically viable and sustainable coastal resource management, incubate innovation as a model 21st century Hawaiian learning environment and serve as a system of support and engagement for the campus, ‘ohana and community.
Maximizing impact and resources are crucial to effecting change in the East Hawaiʻi Region. Our key focus areas in Hoʻoulu Kaiāulu are Keaukaha and Early Childhood Learning community kīpuka. Collaborative campaigns and shared projects that support Hawaiian focused schools will create synergy and alignment in these two areas that work towards catalyzing collective impact.
In order to demonstrate early success and establish proof points for future partners and investors, Keaukaha was chosen as an initial geographic community kīpuka. Existing partnerships and a high concentration of Native Hawaiian families makes Keaukaha an ideal starting point. Projects in this area will work toward empowering our community partners and ʻohana.
- System Measures
- KS regional education centers
- Community Kīpuka
- Collective Impact with Hawaiian Focused Charter Schools
- 2020 Measures
- Increase appropriate access to ʻāina
- Increase community engagement via collective impact, collaborations, and partnerships