First Birthday Paina celebrates Native Hawaiian programs

Posted: Feb 2, 2011

Community partners, students and the Leeward Community College ‘ohana celebrated Halau ʻIke o Puʻuloa’s “First Birthday” with a rousing paina on Friday, January 28.

 

Originally funded through a Title III grant, Halau ʻIke o Puʻuloa is now the College’s Native Hawaiian Student Support Center, providing a variety of programs and support services to Leeward’s Native Hawaiian students.

 

One of the many highlights of the event included Kamuela J. N. Enos, community resource development director, MAʻO Organic Farms and Obama-appointed member of the White House Commission on Asian & Pacific Islanders, gifting the Halau with an original gouache artwork created by his brother, Solomon.

 

Event sponsors included the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Queen Lili‘uokalani Children’s Center and Leeward Community College.

 

Community partners ALU LIKE, Inc., Hawai‘i Step Up Program, Ke Ola Mamo: Native Hawaiian Health Care System, the Malama Learning Center, and Na Pua No‘eau: Center for Gifted & Talented Native Hawaiian Children, were joined by UH Hilo and Leeward CC representatives to provide information on the opportunities for Native Hawaiians.

 

Under the guidance of Coordinator Auliʻi Silva, the Halau staff’s outreach efforts and continued program development produced a 48 percent growth in student enrollment between fall 2009 and fall 2010 and a 916 percent increase in participation in Halau student engagement activities since 2008 (from 163 to 1657).

 

An image gallery of the paina is viewable at http://www.flickr.com/photos/leewardcc/sets/72157625833821157/.