Why did you choose Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani?

As I was researching Hawaiian Studies programs, I asked my Hawaiian History teacher at Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama, "How is the Hawaiian Studies program at Hilo?" His response was, "Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani is the place to go if you're interested in Hawaiian Studies." He encouraged me to enroll at Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, reiterating that it is the place to go if I want to develop my mauli Hawaiʻi. With that said, along with my desire to leave Oʻahu for school, I chose to go to Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani. In my opinion, the value of the program is that Ka Haka ʻUla fosters each students mauli ola and ensures a solid foundation is set.

For me, before my time at Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, I knew a few things about Hawaiʻi and and what it meant to be Hawaiian (being a Hawaiian myself). Upon gradaution, however, I was given the torch of enlightenment and my foundational knowledge was set on what Hawaiʻi is and what it meant to be Hawaiian in this day and age.

Because of the knowledge I gained from Ka Haka ʻUla, I am able to speak Hawaiian on a daily basis in my workplace and my life. The growth Iʻve seen in myself and in my life since gradauting from Ka Haka ʻUla is immeasurable and I cannot express the gratitude I have for Ka Haka ʻUla; because of Ka Haka ʻUla, I am the person that I am today.