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Kamehameha III Elementary finds new potential location on Kamehameha Schools' Kuʻia lands

Oct. 9, 2024

King Kamehameha III Elementary School may soon find a new home after the state says its original location cannot be recovered following the August 2023 fires. 

While the school has been operating temporarily miles from its original location, discussions to bring it closer to its roots are underway. Governor Josh Green, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education are in talks with Kamehameha Schools to rebuild the elementary school on up to 16 acres of Kuʻia land. Moreover, the plan includes additional land for Hawaiian learning centers and ʻāina-based programs – all to revitalize the community and preserve Lahaina’s strong educational legacy. 

The proposed Kuʻia site, between the Lahaina Bypass and the tsunami zone, meets the community’s ardent wish to keep the school close, supporting educational continuity for their families. 

“Schools are the heart of any community, and we are hopeful that placing Kamehameha III Elementary School on our Kuʻia lands will help support Lahaina’s restoration,” said Jack Wong, Kamehameha Schools’ CEO. 

For two centuries, Lahaina has been an epicenter of education in Hawaiʻi, starting with Lahainaluna Seminary in 1831 as the first school west of the Rocky Mountains. The academy was pivotal in advancing the Hawaiian Kingdom’s commitment to literacy and the stomping grounds for some of the most influential ʻōiwi scholars like David Malo and Samuel Kamakau, whose works are crucial in preserving and documenting Hawaiian history and culture. 

Kauikeaouli, the school’s namesake, is known for his motto, He aupuni palapala koʻu (Mine is a kingdom of literacy). Lahaina played a vital role in achieving his goal of establishing a literate nation. Further, in 1840, Kauikeaouli signed Hawaiʻi’s first constitution right in Lahaina, solidifying its status as not only the political seat of the kingdom but also as a symbol of educational progress. 

The Kuʻia lands hold further significance for Kamehameha Schools. Originally part of the vast legacy lands given to Ke Aliʻi Bernice Pauahi Bishop by her first cousin Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani, these lands will continue to support her vision of uplifting Hawaiian people through education. Beyond the new school site, the land will also be home to other cultural and ecological projects, including a heritage site and a Hawaiian culture-based learning center focused on cultivating future ʻōiwi leaders grounded in aloha ʻāina. 

“Reviving these educational and cultural sites is essential for the community’s healing and resilience,” said Waiʻaleʻale Arroyo, vice president of Hiʻialo at Kamehameha Schools. “By restoring these spaces, we honor our ancestors and provide future generations with the resources and knowledge they need to thrive.” 

As plans take shape, the Kuʻia lands present a vision for the future that balances educational growth, cultural restoration and ʻāina stewardship. This effort seeks to restore Lahaina’s legacy as a beacon of learning, keeping the community connected to its roots while embracing opportunities ahead. 


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lahaina,hoʻōla maui,ʻāina pauahi,ʻāina resiliency,'āina stewardship,maui

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Kaipuolono Article, Regions, Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i, Themes, Culture, Community, KS Announcements, Newsroom, Community Education, Ho‘ōla Maui, Lahaina, Education

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