Why did you choose Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani?

I am from the land of the Kīpuʻupuʻu rain, Waimea. When I was in high school, I deeply regretted my lack of knowledge of the Hawaiian language and culture. That was the primary reason I chose to go to school at Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. There, I did learn the mother language, and I also built my foundation of knowledge of Hawaiian culture. Now, I am the coordinator of the Kohala Watershed Partnership, a partnership that stewards the forest and water of Kohala Mountain for the benefit of its people. One of my major goals is to utilize and perpetuate ancestral knowledge to better know and steward the Kohala watershed. Hawaiian language is the language of the land, and Hawaiian culture is love for the land. I'm able to realize this significant life goal because of my education at Ka Haka ʻUla. My gratitude is boundless!