University of Hawai‘i at Hilo student Kailena Akau, on the path to becoming a Hawaiian language and studies teacher

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHERE YOU GREW UP.

I am from the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, I was born in Waimea and raised in Kawaihae. Being that Kawaihae is such a small town, the majority of my time was spent in Waimea because that is where everything is located. Waimea is where my school, sports, and extracurricular activities were, and where the majority of my family lives.

I grew up in a Hawaiian family who instilled in me the traditions and practices of Hawaiian culture. I grew up fishing, diving, hunting, gathering, ranching, and much more.

Living in Kawaihae, my dad would always go fishing and diving and whenever I would go with him he would always remind me how important it is to only take what you need. This is a very important Hawaiian value that can be learned through traditional Hawaiian practices.

I’ve been dancing hula since I was three years old and hula is my passion. Hula connects me to my culture and ancestors, and it has allowed me to create a deeper connection to my culture.

Along with hula, I am passionate about Hawaiian culture and all of its aspects, especially Hawaiian language.

Tell us about your educational experience.

I attended Kanu o Ka ‘Āina which is a Hawaiian public charter school from kindergarten up until eighth grade. This is where I learned a lot about Hawaiian culture and language through chanting, dancing, and through hands-on learning experiences.

Every morning we started our day by having “Piko” which is where the whole school would come together to chant, and ground ourselves for the day.

A part of our physical education was dancing hula and participating in Hawaiian games like “makahiki” games. We also did a lot of hands-on learning that included working in the garden, and taking care of the campus by picking up rubbish, pulling weeds, etc.

Often, we would go on excursions to different places which allowed us to take our learning outside of the classroom and have other opportunities of hands-on learning.

For highschool, I attended Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy because I wanted to be better prepared for college and for my career. HPA gave me many opportunities that I would not have received elsewhere. It allowed me to not only excel in my academics but also in sports.

I had a 4.0 GPA all four years of high school while balancing my life with three varsity sports. I played soccer, softball and volleyball, winning tournaments, BIIF titles, and state championships.

Even though I came from a Hawaiian charter school, going to HPA advanced my knowledge in Hawaiian language and culture. I had two Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies teachers that really facilitated my learning, and inspired me to want to become just like them.

From my freshman year of high school, I knew that I wanted to go to college for Hawaiian studies to become a Hawaiian language teacher.

How have you navigated college so far?

I just completed my first year of college and I really enjoyed it. I finished the year as a dean's list student with a 4.0 GPA. I completed my first year of Hawaiian language classes at the collegiate level and I learned so much from it.

I feel more confident speaking in Hawaiian and I can't wait to continue my language classes through the summer to keep me on track.

I am pursuing a bachelor's degree in Hawaiian Studies where I have to take four years of Hawaiian language classes. The goal is to become fluent by the time I complete my degree. After I receive my bachelors degree, I am going to be in a graduate program for Hawaiian Studies that will allow me to teach at any Hawaiian public or immersion schools.

I want to be a Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies teacher to give back to my community and teach the future generations the language of our culture.

What are your thoughts on Pasifika Representation?

I believe that having Pasifika representation is important in my academic and professional field because I am pursuing a degree and a career that involves Hawaiian culture. It is amazing to see more and more native Hawaiians pursuing these degrees and wanting to become teachers. This helps to facilitate the learning of Hawaiian culture through students and children in Hawaiʻi, and it is always needed.

The more people involved and continuing their learning in Hawaiian culture, the better off our culture will be. Our foundation are those who came before us, but it is up to us now to continue what they started.

ANY achievements you would like to share?

Some of the academic achievements I received are scholarships for my schooling in high school and college, dean's list awards, leadership awards, and Hawaiian cultural awards.

I was fortunate enough to have all of my high school tuition paid for by scholarships and financial aid I received, this was the same for my first year of college. In high school, I was on the dean's list every semester with a 4.0 GPA, and I was also on the dean's list for my first year of college.

In high school, I received a leadership award called the Alumni Association Award, and two Hawaiian awards, one called Eva Perez Ka Lamakū o ka Naʻauao and the other being a Hawaiian language award.

ANY TIPS FOR students applying to college?

My suggestion for anyone interested in pursuing a similar field of study would be to go for it and not let anything stop you. Think about the benefit not only it will have on yourself, but the benefit it will have on those around you, your community, and your culture.

If you are really passionate about something, you will find a way to get there no matter what. You may face struggles and challenges along the way, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Any last words to students?

If you ever lose sight of your vision, remember why you started and who you are doing it for. I suggest doing something that you are passionate about because you will feel a great reward. It isn't all about money, it's about what makes you happy, and that's the key to success.

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University of Hawai‘i at Hilo student Kailena Akau, on the path to becoming a Hawaiian language and studies teacher