Kamehameha Schools is expanding its community education Kilohana Summer Program which cultivates math skills in haumāna, while helping them embrace their Hawaiian identity in a modern world. 

Established in 2016, Kilohana was first introduced on the Waiʻanae Coast and in West Hawaiʻi. A year later the program expanded to Moloka‘i. This year, there will be program sites in Hāna, Maui and the ‘Ewa and Waialua communities as well.

The Kilohana Program for middle schoolers is designed to help students develop a love of math through a variety of cultural experiences. The five-week place-based program is for non-KS campus haumāna entering grades 6, 7, and 8. The program features weekly field trips and hands-on projects based in Hawaiian culture, giving keiki the chance to apply math concepts to real-world scenarios.

“We are really excited about the opportunity not only to stem summer learning loss but to address and strengthen academic outcomes for students through this out-of-school time program that is grounded in cultural approaches and community relevance,” said Kēhau Puʻu, KS Kealakūlia director.

Last year, students had a lesson on how to build an imu, learning about culture and heat transfer in the process.

On Molokaʻi, haumāna studied invasive jelly fish in a loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishpond) and sought solutions to mitigate the problem. This year, for their first Kilohana Program in ʻEwa, students will learn to identify native and invasive limu, and collect useful data for the community.

The beauty of the Hawaiian language is the ability to capture a multitude of meanings and intentions in just one simple name. Kilo (to examine, observe) and hana (to work) reflect the program’s focus on reawakening in new generations skills like observation, problem-solving and hard work at which our kūpuna were adept.

Kilohana also describes the highest point of a mountain. In naming the program Kilohana, the hope is that students will be able to draw on the knowledge and practices of our kūpuna to reach their highest academic potential.

Applications are being accepted through March 30, 2018. Learn more or sign up on the KS Programs and Scholarships web page.

Haumāna in the Kilohana Waiʻanae Program visit UH West Oʻahu to study the science contained in various moʻolelo of the kupua or demigod Maui.

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Kaipuolono Article, Regions, Wai’anae Coast, ‘Ewa, Waialua, Themes, Culture, Newsroom, Maui, Community Education, Moloka’i and Lana’i

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