April 27, 2011: HONOLULU, HI - The Alaka`ina Foundation is pleased to announce it has received a $65,784 grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for its Ho`omaka Hou Project at Hana High and Elementary School on Maui. The project fuses science and technology education with traditional Hawaiian cultural practices.
"We thank the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for recognizing the importance of promoting education in science and technology in a manner that preserves and perpetuates our Native Hawaiian cultural practices," said Jessica Horiuchi, Alaka`ina Foundation Executive Director.
The Ho`omaka Hou Project will serve 6th-12th grade students attending Hana High and Elementary School. The overall goal of the project is to re-establish the nearby school grounds as a sustainable working environment for the community of Hana, and to serve as a model for sustainability for all of Hawai`i. The students will benefit from exposure to local community members whose families have lived in the area for generations, while also integrating cutting edge technology and hands-on, field-based activities.