Partnering with the Public Schools to help support Non-traditional, Nature connected, Joyful learning! (and help the environment)

Family Support Services of West Hawaii

FSSWH (Family Support Services of West Hawaii) is a non-profit organization located in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The organization serves familys of the West Hawaii community in a variety ways. Na Kahumoku is primarily a FSSWH program. It was the agency that DOE contracted to provide Na Kahumoku to Kealakehe Intermediate School through 21rst Century Title one funds. FSSWH also agency that received Hau`oli Mau Loa funds for Na Kahumoku so that it could serve as the primary support network for Na Kahumoku, providing funding, trainings, and payroll services. (see http://www.fsswh.org/ )

Department of Education

The Hawaii DOE at Kealakehe Intermediate is a major contributor to our organization, providing us a classroom, a certified teacher of record, DOE van for transportation, as well as supplies for our classroom. Much of our support network is developed through the school, and so we see the DOE and its employees, particularly those at KIS and in the Kona community as being the foundation of this innovative program. (see http://kealakeheint.k12.hi.us/ )

21st Century Community Learning Program

21st Century Grant Programs is part of the Department of Educations goals to help revitalize and improve low-income communities across the country. Na Kahumoku is a recipient of some of these funds for the Kealakehe School Complex area, and in return Na Kahumoku helps provide support and coordination for other 21st Century grant programs.

Hau`oli Mau Loa

Hau`oli Mau Loa Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established by Helga Glaesel-Hollenback who, in her words, "found great happiness on the islands of Hawai`i" and through her philanthropy sought "to return the generosity of the islands."

The Foundation seeks to expand opportunities for those less fortunate, especially children, to find hope for their future and seeks to enhance stewardship, preservation and protection of the environment.

Hau`oli Mau Loa did a site visit in March 2009. The students hosted them and explained the program. As a result Hau`oli Mau Loa awarded Na Kahumoku a grant of $100,000 per year for the next three years. (see http://www.hauolimauloa.org/)

Department of Natural Resources

The DLNR has worked closely with our organization to provide a wide variety of services for our students, and opportunities to serve the community and the `aina (land). Students have done invasive species removal and native plant propagation at Pu`uwa`awa`a off the northern flank of Hualalai.

Also, students have worked with John Kahi`apo of the education and aquatics division of DLNR. John has come to Kealakehe Intermediate to visit our students and to teach them about how to preserve the reefs and coastal eco-systems here in Kona. He also taught about sustainable fishing practices, and gave the students the opportunity to learn about this through hands on work; students went to the Old Airport in Kona and learned about fishing practices there.

Ka`upulehu Dry-land Forest Reserve

Ka`upulehu is an ahupua`a located in North Kona, just south of Pu`uwa`awa`a. One of the most extensive dry-land reforestation projects take place in a 70 acre reserve off the makai part of Mamalahoa Hwy. There, Yvonne and Keoki Carter, along w/ Wilds Brauner help bring in students in neighboring schools to learn and malama (care for) this reserve. Na Kahumoku has visited the mauka portion of the Ka`upulehu (or Kaulupulehu) ahupua`a on three separate occasions, and has done service work each time they have been there. Also, Aunty Yvonne and Uncle Keoki have come to KIS twice to talk to the students about Ka`upulehu and the work they do out there.

TREE (Tropical Reforestation Environmental Education) center Hawaii

Although currently dissolved, TREE Center Hawaii was an active advocate for native plant reforestation projects on the big island. Na Kahumoku has worked with TREE on a variety of occasions; principally with Steve Coffee at the O`oma Reserve. Steve has guest spoke at our classroom twice, and has also hosted two field trips with our students last year to the O`oma Reserve.

Ka Lae Mano Education Center

The Ka Lae Mano Education Center is located at Hualalai Resort in Ka`upulehu Ahupua`a. It is a cultural and environmental studies center where students are given an opportunity to learn about the rich history of this ahupua`a, as well as the efforts needed to preserve and perpetuate it. The center is run by Ku`ulei Keakealani, a Kanaka Maoli activist and cultural practitioner who has advocated on behalf of the Ka`upulehu ahupua`a for most of her life.

Kamehameha Schools

Na Kahumoku has worked with Kamehameha schools in a variety of ways. First and foremost, Na Kahumoku has been involved on a limited level with the Kia`i `Aina Kualoloa program at Kahalu`u. Although students entered the program late, they were given the opportunity to learn about some of some of the fundamental concepts of the program, like the various oli (chants) about the area and its history.

The class also had two field trips under the supervision of the Kia`i `Aina program teacher Mahealani Pai; one at Honokohau-iki and one at Kahalu`u. These field trips have provided students with the cultural knowledge necessary to better understand the places they live in, which in turn gives them more respect for the land they live on.

DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources)

The DLNR has been working with Na Kahumoku in a variety of capacities. They have allowed us the use of supplies for special events, and also the students have worked with DLNR education officer John Kahi`apo, at the Old Airport in Kona to study sustainable fishing practices. Also, John has come to our classroom to discuss coastal resource management with the students.