Current Programming
Pūnana Leo Language Nests
The ‘Aha Pūnana Leo is best known for our Pūnana Leo, or language nest preschools.
These are total Hawaiian language immersion environments were children
are fed the language right into their ears, from the mouths of the Hawaiian
language speakers around them. This is similar to the manner is which young
fledglings are fed directly from the mouths of their mothers, thus the
“nest” metaphor. There are currently 11 Pūnana Leo Family-Based Preschools
in the state of Hawai‘i, that service children along with their families
on the islands of Hawai‘i, Maui, Moloka‘i, O‘ahu and Kaua‘i. In these preschools,
first-language Hawaiian speaking toddlers are joined by a larger group
of non-Hawaiian speakers in a program conducted solely through Hawaiian.
Parents are required to learn the language as well so that they can reinforce
language learning at home. These Pūnana Leo are the language nests
environments where children are first surrounded by the Hawaiian language.
These environments are also where parents work cooperatively to provide
maximum parental involvement in the larger system of Hawaiian language
medium education established to support their children. Through the
work of the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo many parents have gone on to obtain college
degrees and work in the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo system.
He Lani Ko Luna, He Honua Ko Lalo
Community-Based Learning Center
This extension program provides language support to Hawaiian Language Medium
Education by providing various environments where learners can practice skills
taught in the classroom. Learners participate in the following activities: agriculture,
open ocean navigation and way finding, stargazing and astronomy, water safety
and CPR. The program’s floating classroom, Hōkūalaka‘i, a double-hulled voyaging
canoe is a unique learning environment for the community.
Lamakū, Post-Secondary Scholarship Program
Lamakū, a Native Hawaiian Higher Education Scholarship program, is funded
by the US Department of Education under a grant from the Native Hawaiian
Education Act. The focus of the Lamakū project is to lay the foundation
for a critical mass of well-prepared educators, scholars, and families
to stabilize, strengthen and perpetuate Hawaiian language and culture
via the Hawaiian Medium Education (HME) system, a system that historically
produced a very literate society based in our indigenous language. Undergraduate
recipients are encouraged to enroll in the Kahuawaiola Teacher Certification
Program of our consortium partner, Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani Hawaiian
Language College of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. Graduate recipients
must perform research relevant to the improvement of the Hawaiian Medium
Education System. Those already working and participating
in HME environments are encouraged to return to school in order to complete
their higher education degrees as well. In order to reinforce a positive
perspective on lifelong learning from an early age, Lamakū also provides
career and college counseling services to HME laboratory schools under
the ‘APL’s consortium with the Hawaiian Language College. Lamakū recently
celebrated the graduation of the first Pūnana Leo student to complete
a teaching degree and return to serve children in Hawaiian medium education.
This is a prime example of the goal to increase the critical mass of
leaders focused on perpetuating the HME system and the value it places
on education as a vehicle to empower an academically and culturally literate
society in Hawai‘i.
Hale Kipa ‘Ōiwi Indigenous Outreach Program
After working to remove the ban on the use of Hawaiian in Hawai‘i’s school
system, the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo joined with Native Americans to convince the
U.S. Congress to reverse earlier federal policy to remove Native American
languages from Native American communities. Since the passage of the Native American
Languages Act in 1990, there have been increased efforts throughout the United
States to save the some 200 remaining Native American languages from extinction. Many
of these languages have only a handful of speakers and only twenty still
have children speakers. The ‘Aha Pūnana Leo is the nationally recognized
model for Native American language revitalization programs in the United
States. Through Hale Kipa ‘Ōiwi, other indigenous groups visit ‘Aha Pūnana
Leo model sites and programs. These visitors also meet with key individuals
responsible for the success of our programs and receive follow up support
through continued communication with the program. Other indigenous
visitors come from the Pacific Islands, Australia, Asia and Europe.