Contributed by Shaundor Chillingworth
The Huliko‘a Kaiāulu Scholar Speaker Series event will share the importance of embracing the ‘ōlelo no‘eau “Kūlia I ka Nu‘u” (Striving for Excellence).
The event takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Community Learning Center at Mā‘ili (CLC-M), and is free and open to the public.
Long-time educator and scholar Mailani DeAguiar is the featured speaker for this month’s presentation “Kūlia I Ka Nu‘u – Striving for Excellence While Overcoming Obstacles.”
“My talk will be based on setting goals and accomplishing them while overcoming the many obstacles I faced in my life,” said DeAguiar
She will acknowledge her mentors and heroes, employment opportunities and share ‘ōlelo no‘eau that tie together with her story and mo‘olelo from her ‘ohana.
DeAguilar is a 1977 graduate of Kamehameha School Kapālama. While born in Honolulu, she was raised in Nānākuli from a very young age through eighth grade. She received an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts from Leeward Community College then transferred and graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo College with a bachelor of arts in Hawaiian studies with an emphasis in Hawaiian language and a minor in education.
Since 1981, she has called Hawaiʻi island home, working as a teacher in both private and public school settings, eventually going back to school to earn a master's degree in education from Heritage College in Washington.
“Goal setting and finding a balance between the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual areas of my life is of utmost importance,” said DeAguiar.
“I love to help people any way I can and my parents raised the five of us with the ideas of always giving people the benefit of the doubt and helping them, and doing the best you can in any given situation.
“Two of my dad’s favorite sayings – ‘You only get out of life what you put into it’ and ‘Always remember where you came from’ – have always resonated within my being and have become favorite sayings of mine as well.”
DeAguiar will be joined this month by Ka‘ehukai Burley who will offer this month’s student reflection.
Burley is a 2010 graduate of the UH Mānoa Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, and is an INPEACE Kūlia and Ka Lama Education Academy participant. She currently works as a long-term substitute teacher in the Special Education Department at Wai‘anae High School and is pursuing her teaching certification. Both of her children are students at Hawaiian immersion schools.
The event starts at 5:30 p.m. A free, simple dinner will be served and childcare will be provided. An RSVP is appreciated. Call 670-2045 or email kapua@ksbe.edu to confirm your attendance. CLC-M is located at 87-790 Kulauku St. in Mā‘ili.
Huliko‘a Kaiāulu was created as an opportunity for the community to celebrate the pursuit of higher education and listen to scholars from the Wai‘anae Coast share their mana‘o, while learning more about topics that impact their lives as residents of the region.
The series is sponsored by Kamehameha Schools, INPEACE, the UH Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge and MA‘O Organic Farms. Future presentations are scheduled for March 15 and April 19.
This is the series’ third year. Many of the presentations from the previous two years are available for viewing on the Kamehameha Schools YouTube channel.
WHO:
Educator/scholar Mailani DeAguiar and aspiring teacher Ka‘ehukai Burley speak on the theme, “Kūlia I ka Nu‘u” (Striving for Excellence)
WHEN:
Tuesday, Feb. 16
5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Kamehameha Schools Community Learning Center at Māʻili.
87-790 Kulauku St.
RSVP:
A free, simple dinner will be served and childcare will be provided. Please email kapua@ksbe.edu or call 670-2045 to RSVP or for more information.
Educator and scholar Mailani DeAguiar will talk about goal-setting and overcoming obstacles in life.
Aspiring teacher Ka‘ehukai Burley will offer this month's student reflection.
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community event,special event,collaborations,college,huliko
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Kaipuolono Article, Newsroom, Community Events
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