ʻO Dr. William H. "Pila" Wilson, he kālaiʻōlelo i neʻe mai i Hawaiʻi Mokupuni nei i ka makahiki 1978 no ka hoʻokumu ʻana i ka papahana laepua mua loa a puni ʻo ʻAmelika Hui Pū ʻIa e mālama a aʻo piha ʻia ana ma o kekahi ʻōlelo ʻōiwi. ʻO ia hoʻi ke poʻo haku ʻōlelo o nā papahana ʻē aʻe i lilo aʻela ʻo ia ka papahana ʻōlelo ʻōiwi ʻoi mōhā ma ʻAmelika Hui Pū ʻIa. I kēia manawa, mālama ʻia he papahana P-20 ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, mai ka pae hiʻipēpē ma ke kula kamaliʻi ʻo ka ʻAha Pūnana Leo a i ka pae laeʻula e loaʻa ai he palapala laeʻula kālaimanaʻo ma ka Hoʻōla ʻŌlelo a Moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi a ʻŌiwi; ʻo ia mau papahana ʻelua nā papahana mua o ia ʻano a puni ka Honua.

ʻO Wilson hoʻi kekahi o nā lālā hoʻokumu o ke kula kamaliʻi kaiapuni ʻo ka ʻAha Pūnana Leo. ʻO lāua ʻo kāna wahine ʻo Kauanoe Kamanā kekahi o nā paʻa ipo mua loa i hoʻoholo aku, ʻo ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ana ka ʻōlelo mana o ka hale a me ka ʻōlelo mua o kā lāua mau keiki.

ʻIke kauʻāina ʻia ʻo Wilson ma kāna hana hoʻōla ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, oki loa no kāna hana ma ka waele ʻana i ke ala no nā ʻōiwi ʻē aʻe e hoʻōla aku i kā lākou mau ʻōlelo a moʻomeheu iho ma o ka nānā ʻana i ka hana i hana ʻia ma Hawaiʻi nei, ma Hilo hoʻi.

Dr. William H. "Pila" Wilson came to UH Hilo from Honolulu in 1978 to write up the first bachelor of arts program in the United States to be taught through the medium of an indigenous language. He has served as the principal writer of the extensive programs of what is now the most developed program in an indigenous language in the United States. The college has a full P-20 program in Hawaiian from an infant-toddler program at the ʻAha Pūnana Leo to a doctor of philosophy in Hawaiian and indigenous language and culture revitalization. Both programs are the first of their kind in the world.

Wilson, a founding member of ‘Aha Punana Leo immersion school, and his wife, Kauanoe Kamanā, were the first of a number of couples in Hawai‘i who revived Hawaiian as the first language of their home and children.

Wilson is recognized internationally for his work in Hawaiian language revitalization, notably for providing pathways for other indigenous groups to learn from the highly successful Hawaiian language revitalization work occurring in Hilo.