Wai Huihia Kumu Network 

What is the Wai Huihia Kumu Network?  It’s a concept we are putting into practice that provides a space for teachers with varying levels of experience in 'āina-based education to: come together to exchange knowledge, ideas, and resources; learn from each other as well as from other organizations; and build new skills to help them feel more confident and supported to implement 'āina-based education. 

One way we would like to accomplish this is through monthly gatherings after school featuring different schools or sites that implement 'āina-based education. These monthly gatherings will be held every second Tuesday of the month (December 2020-May 2021) from 3:30pm-5:00pm . 
​
Wai Huihia can be translated literally to “mixing waters” in the Hawaiian language, with the deeper meaning of mixing/uniting resources to support each other.
Mahalo to Puanani Wilhelm of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education for the kōkua with this special name! 

Upcoming Wai Huihia Events:

Please join us for our Wai Huihia Kumu Network March gathering on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM! This gathering will feature a guest speaker from one of the most profound conservation agencies out there- the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a.k.a. NOAA! We will have a chance to hear from Leon Geschwind; the Education and Outreach Specialist for the NOAA Inouye Regional Center, as he shares about the resources and programs available for educators in Hawai'i. You don't want to miss it! 

This virtual gathering is FREE to attend. On top of that, teachers will receive $20/hour for actively participating in our Wai Huihia Kumu Network activities (while funding lasts). Teachers who currently teach in the 'Ewa and Wai'anae regions are eligible to receive this $20/hour stipend for attending monthly gatherings, events, or professional development opportunities put on by this network. We will offer this $20/hour stipend to teachers for up to 10 hours maximum or until funding runs out, whichever comes first. 

Please join us on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM via Zoom for this exciting gathering.
Please register here by March 2, 2021, and we will send you the Zoom link to join.

Upcoming Programs/Events for Students & the Community:

​Aloha Kumu! Here are a few resources to help support your students remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic:   ​
  Repository Resources to Kōkua during COVID-19
Mālama Learning Center's Aloha ʻĀina Packets 
In response to the COVID-19 health crisis and the closure of schools, Mālama Learning Center and our partners sought to provide keiki with fun activities that can connect them to ʻāina from home while “sheltering-in-place.”  We developed a simple Aloha ‘Āina Packet, through which we encourage keiki to go outside and to open their senses to the environment around them in a safe and healthy way. All activities in the packet can be done with the 'ohana! The Aloha ʻĀina Packet is brought to you by the Waiʻanae Wellness and Place-Based Learning Alliance.​
 To download the weekly packets, go to https://www.malamalearningcenter.org/aloha-699256ina-packets.html

Check out this video for more information about the Wai Huihia Kumu Network:

Highlights from past Wai Huihia Events

Wai Huihia Kumu Kickoff Event
December 10, 2019 
Teachers and community partners interested in ʻĀina and Place Based education were brought together to learn more about what the consortium has to offer and gave everyone an opportunity to network with one another. This event was held at the Nāulu Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu and had over 30 attendees that included both teachers from the Leeward area and community organizations. 
Picture
Wai Huihia January Gathering - featuring Kapolei High School's Hoʻōla Academy 
January 14, 2020 
The first afterschool Wai Huihia gathering featured Kapolei High School’s Natural Resources Program (Hoʻōla Academy) which showcased projects in their school māla and collaboration efforts with community partners. Students from the Hoʻōla Academy showcased their projects to the teachers that attended. Teachers also got to particpate in a maʻo (Hawaiian Cotton) planting activity. 

Wai Huihia ʻĀina Education Resources of ʻEwa Professional Development Workshop 
January 25 & February 8, 2020
On the first day of this workshop, teachers visited Mālama Puʻuloa’s site and learned about the resources that teachers could use to teach about the kai (water) of ʻEwa. Guest speaker Sandy Ward introduced teachers to Mālama Puʻuloa, a site they could potentially take their students to in the future. Another guest speaker Wally Ito, from Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo; taught teachers about the native limu that was once abundant in the ʻEwa moku. Teachers were also introduced to the ʻEwa ʻĀina Inventory and were given limu lessons that they could use in their classroom. On the second day, teachers were introduced to the mauka resources of ʻEwa. Teachers were able to explore the different sites up at Pālehua including Camp Pālehua, the Pā cultural site, and MLC’s Mauka Nursery. Dr. Manulani Meyer from the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu was a guest speaker, showing teachers different teaching methods that allow people to open up to one another.
Picture
Wai Huihia February Gathering - featuring Keoneʻula's Elementary School's Sustainable Living Club 
February 11, 2020 
The second Wai Huihia afterschool gathering took place at Keoneʻula Elementary School in ‘Ewa Beach. Fourth grade students from Keoneʻula’s Sustainable Living Club gave the teachers a tour of their school’s garden, aquaponics, and composting system- the students led the entire tour on their own! At the end of the gathering, guest speaker Summer Maunakea from Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation introduced teachers to a fun plant activity teachers could do with their students and gave teachers an overview of resources they could access to help them implement more ʻāina and place based activities. 
Wai Huihia ʻĀina Education Resources of Waiʻanae Professional Development Workshop 
February 22, 2020 ​
The ʻĀina Education Resources of Waiʻanae PD  featured the educational resources of the Cultural Learning Center at Ka‘ala (Ka‘ala Farms). Teachers that attended this field trip were able to learn and participate in restoration activities in the lo‘i kalo at the Cultural Learning Center at Kaʻala. Teachers also learned about native dryland mesic forest plants in the Ka‘ala Kīpuka. To close out this day, guest Speaker Tammy Jones from PALS/PLACES presented P4C techniques and ways to encourage citizen action/student advocacy through her “Try Think” activity in the hale located on site. 
Picture
Wai Huihia March Gathering - featuring Waipahu High School's Academy of Natural Resources (ANR) 
March 10, 2020
 Students from the ANR gave the teachers at this gathering an overview of some their successful projects such as the fresh produce grown in their school’s grow beds/aquaponics, the fish that is grown and sold from their aquaponics, and the outdoor classroom that they utilize to make hands-on learning easier to implement. At the end of the gathering, administrators from Waipahu High School participated in the discussion on teacher empowerment and how to gain support to do ʻāina and place based education within other schools and communities. 
Wai Huihia April "Virtual" Gathering - featuring Nānakuli High & Intermediate School's ʻAʻaliʻi Program
April 14, 2020
 Although the COVID outbreak has forced us all to stay at home, the Wai Huihia Kumu Network continues to stay positive and support one another during these crazy times. Like the haumana in the NHIS's ʻAʻaliʻi Program, the kumu in this network are resilient! After learning about the wonderful ʻAʻaliʻi Program, kumu shared about their current struggles and shared any resources they found helpful for implementing distanced learning from home. 
Picture
Wai Huihia May "Virtual" Gathering - featuring Kuʻulei Samson from Hoa ʻĀina O Mākaha
May 12, 2020
 The Wai Huihia Kumu Network virtually met one last time for the school year. Kuʻulei Samson from Hoa ʻĀina O Mākaha talked about engaging ʻohana and community during these changing times. For the second half of the gathering, teachers discussed the challenges they are currently facing and proposed ideas to help grow our network in the future. 
Wai Huihia Kumu Network's Year 2 Launch 
December 8, 2020
 Educators and partners from all over virtually gathered via Zoom to celebrate the launch of Year 2 of the Wai Huihia Kumu Network! At this gathering, the Mālama Learning Center introduced the network to everyone and went over the proposed activities for Year 2 of this program. Everyone was also able to hear from the all-inspiring Aunty Manulani Meyer from the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu as she facilitated a conversation around ʻike makahiki and sharing in excellence together. Although virtual, everyone was still able to participate in a couple interactive activities and got to get to know a little bit about each other. We hope we can continue to help build pilina (relationships) between all of our kumu and partners throughout this next year of the Wai Huihia Kumu Network. 

​Wai Huihia Kumu Network January 2021 Gathering
January 12, 2021
The Wai Huihia kumu discussed how educators can integrate ʻĀina-Based Education in a virtual setting and beyond. One of our beloved kumu; Jeremy Soriano from Kapolei High School, was able to share how he is able to utilize online platforms and virtual huakaʻi to provide students with a deeper understanding of place. He is able to partner with real scientists in the community and have his students collaborate with one another so they are still able to run real experiments even during COVID! He also helps his students design their own experiments and will run the experiment for them so they can still collect data. Such an inspiring kumu Jeremy Soriano, mahalo nui for sharing with all of us! 

Wai Huihia Kumu Network February 2021 Gathering
February 9, 2021
February's gathering featured Shannon Bucasas from Waiʻanae High School. Shannon says, “The community is the heart of the school”, as she shared how she is able to collaborate with community partners to enhance student learning. Shannon highlighted the importance of building relationships with community organizations and shared some helpful tips on how to plan huaka’i for your students.  We had some great discussions and most of all, we were all reminded of the numerous community organizations that are out there to support our kumu and our keiki.

Mahalo to our supporters!

**Initial partners of the Wai Huihia Kumu Network include the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (Mālama Honua Fund and Nānākuli-Waiʻanae Complex), INPEACE, Kamehameha Schools Waiʻanae Coast and ʻEwa regions, Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation, MA’O Organic Farms, Mālama Learning Center, Mālama Puʻuloa, Mālama Loko Ea, Cultural Learning Center at Kaʻala, NOAA BWET Hawaiʻi program, Pacific American Foundation, PALS & PLACES, Ulu Aʻe Learning Center, and the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu and Mānoa campuses. More partners are welcome to join!

For more information about
the Mālama Learning Center,
​please visit