Aloha 'āina volunteers achieve milestone at He'eia Loko l'a

Some 1,800 volunteers activated their aloha ‘āina during the Mo‘okuapā lā hana and celebration at He‘eia Loko I‘a on Dec. 13, 2025. The historic day on ‘Āina Pauahi in the moku of Ko‘olaupoko saw these dedicated participants complete the final 300 feet of the 1.3-mile kuapā. They filled that gap with 120,000 pounds of ko‘a passed hand to hand in buckets. In addition, volunteers cleared and opened five new lo‘i, cleaned six existing lo‘i and dug a 700-foot ‘auwai to carry freshwater from He‘eia Stream to the fishpond.

The accomplishment would not be possible without the vision and dedication of KS ‘Āina Ulu partner, Paepae o He‘eia. Founded in 2001, the nonprofit provides Hawaiian culture-based education via stewardship of the 800-year-old fishpond, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

As kahu, Paepae o He‘eia organized scores of supporters who worked over nearly 25 years — a generation — to restore the kuapā and health of the pond, which had deteriorated to the point where it was no longer recognizable.

The Mo‘okuapā gathering celebrated the ea — restoration — that’s taken place here, and its inoa is significant. Mo‘o means “perpetuation,” and kuapā refers to the wall that encircles the loko i‘a.

Not all Hawaiian fishponds have kuapā. The walls of most of the ones that do are straight or semi-circular. He‘eia Loko I‘a is unique, its kuapā is circular with no start or end points.

For Keahi Pi‘i‘ōhi‘a KSK’06, Paepae o He‘eia’s restoration coordinator, that metaphor of unbroken connection to place is meaningful. He believes his kuleana is putting people in the footprints of kūpuna. Even if their ancestors were never at He‘eia Loko I‘a, he pointed out, they can be the first person in their ‘ohana to kōkua it.

“The mana they leave in the pōhaku, the mana they leave in the ko‘a, remains,” Pi‘i ‘ōhi‘a said. “I hope when their mo‘opuna come, they feel that. Whether your lineage, your mo‘okū‘auhau, existed here for 800 years or whether today is the first day your mo‘okū‘auhau begins, it never leaves this place.”

Seeing He‘eia Loko I‘a fully restored was a dream come true for Ānuenue Punua KSK’94, one of Paepae o He‘eia’s eight founders and its first education program coordinator. She grew up in Kāne‘ohe, went to parties at He‘eia State Park and, like many people at the time, didn’t know about the 88-acre pond.

It was a daunting task to remove the thick forests of mangrove that covered it and its kuapā. “I remember being stuck in mud, knee deep,” Punua said. “We were working with no chainsaws, just hand tools. Then you start to break away the invasive mangrove, and you realize the stones are still there…If we didn’t do this work, thousands of people would not know (the pond) was here.”

And it’s not over.

“We’ve got to keep the rocks up,” said Keli‘i Kotubetey KSK’96, Paepae o He‘eia’s assistant executive director and another one of its founders. “The weeds continue to grow. We have invasive plants, crabs, fish. It is our collective responsibility to continue the maintenance to increase the productivity of our pond.”

Mo‘okuapā participants lunched on some of that bounty, including fish, ‘ulu, ‘uala, cassava, kalo paʻa and lūʻau. Paepae o He‘eia’s mission is to nourish the community in every sense of the word. “We’re honored, privileged, to take on the responsibility of feeding people from this place,” Kotubetey said. “Feeding minds, feeding hearts and feeding bodies.”

Neil Kaho‘okele Hannahs KSK’69, former director of Kamehameha Schools’ Land Assets Division, acknowledged the revival of He‘eia Loko I‘a began with the revival of traditional cultural practices. The leaders of Paepae o He‘eia understood that restoring the pond would require engagement of the community — it would be hard work not done for the people, but with the people.

As time passed, others noticed the progress at the pond and started to look at things on an ahupua‘a scale. “How do we get not just my land, my pond, my lo‘i kalo, my pūnāwai to work, but how do we get the system to prosper?” Hannahs said. “That’s a return to ancestral wisdom.”

He‘eia Loko I‘a is indeed an impressive, inspiring model of success. “Look at all the people here today,” Hannahs said. “They recognize that this is an asset for our entire lāhui. We can proudly stand and say we took care of the work together. Think about that — to earn your place in a lineage that goes back so many generations, to be somebody who contributes to the strength of that line. That’s a legacy!”

Honolulu firefighters find new training grounds on 'Ãina Pauahi

While plans for 'Ōlauniu in Kapālama Kai continue to take shape, the property is serving the community in a new way as a full-scale training ground for the Honolulu Fire Department.

Over the next month, battalions from across Oʻahu are rotating through the site for simulated fire drills designed to test their technical skills, coordination, communication and teamwork. The former Popeye’s and Burger King buildings have been temporarily refurbished into mock homes and apartments, complete with built-in furniture, smoke machines and fire panels that glow and react to water streams.

“We don’t often get to do this full-scale scenario where we can train,” said Battalion Chief Joseph Condlin, “At the station, we can drill a couple skills at a time, but this is where we get to put it all together — command and coordination, ventilation and fire attack.”

The exercises bring together firefighters from various parts of the island who may never respond to the same call until they actually do. Training alongside new teams helps build confidence long before a crisis breaks out.

“We have companies from all over the island that aren’t used to working together…so it’s about building that coordination,” said recent academy graduate Kalā Burnett KSK’19.

Between drills, captains and battalion chiefs lead quick debriefs to review what worked and what could improve. From hose deployment to victim search, every drill builds rhythm and trust that keeps the crew moving as one. For firefighters like Nick Miyasato KSH’09, that synergy feels familiar.

“I see the fire department kind of like playing sports — that bond…in doing something you’re proud of,” Miyasato said.

His colleague Austin Lee-Mahiʻai KSK’13 carries that same pride, shaped by both family and heritage.

“My grandfather was a firefighter, and I wanted to carry on that legacy of public servants,” Lee-Mahiʻai said. “Knowing the Honolulu Fire Department was established by the Hawaiian Kingdom — I feel like it’s something to be proud of: my heritage, being Hawaiian and being in the fire department.”

The transformation of ʻŌlauniu reflects how ‘Āina Pauahi continues to serve the community in impactful ways.

“This partnership shows how reimagining our spaces can help us make a lasting, positive impact on our community,” said Christine Sanpei, a project manager with Kamehameha Schools’ ʻĀina Pauahi Group. “By transforming these buildings into a temporary training ground for our emergency responders, we’re strengthening community resilience and breathing new life into Kapālama Kai in a way that honors our mission and uplifts those we serve.”

The partnership brings to life the mission of Ke Kula ʻo Kamehameha to uplift leaders who serve with compassion and courage. For now, it’s readying the next generation of first responders for our shared kuleana to protect and sustain a thriving Hawaiʻi.

From events to letters, community comes together for Pauahi

From kūpuna and 'opio to alumni and community members, hundreds across the pae 'aina have been gathering at Kamehameha Schools' E Ulu Koa engagements to stand under one banner: Ola Pauahi, Ola Hawai'i.

The community meetings are part of KS’ response to a legal challenge to its admissions policy, providing updates and historical context about Ke Aliʻi Bernice Pauahi Pākī Bishop’s mission. Each session included updates from Ke Kula ‘o Kamehameha leadership and time for attendees to ask questions, building pilina across the islands.

The gatherings drew on the metaphor of an ulu koa: many trees with deep roots, standing stronger and more resilient together.

“She [Pauahi] was very clear about what she wanted to do for the people she loved — her people,” said Kēhaunani Abad KSK’82, VP of KS’ Uluhiwa Strategy and Experience division. “This is the time when we have to arm ourselves with intellect and know how to talk about it when we’re out there.”

At each meeting, leadership explained how current civil rights laws are being applied and outlined what this case could mean moving forward. Attendees asked about next steps, how long it may take for the case to be settled with a court decision or ruling and what they can do in their own communities to share accurate information. The evenings often closed with talking story over dinner for a chance to connect and reflect with one another.

“This is about her legacy — about what our aliʻi left us — and coming together as ʻohana to carry it on,” one attendee said during the closing pule in Nānākuli.

Alongside these in-person gatherings, KS has launched “Letters from the Lāhui,” a community campaign inviting anyone to share written reflections about Pauahi’s impact that could strengthen our collective stand during this legal challenge. Early submissions from current haumāna and alumni to participants in community programs highlight a wide range of meaningful experiences. One writer described how Hoʻomakaʻikaʻi, KS Kapālama’s legacy summer program, helped them feel more grounded in their Hawaiian identity. Through their high school years, they continued to learn about themselves and the values that would guide them into adulthood.

“My biggest takeaway from Kamehameha Schools is… that I can make a difference,” the writer said. “With that opportunity comes the responsibility to help others and pass on all that I was gifted.”

Another contributor, who came to KS through scholarships and internships, shared how this support helped them pursue higher education and reconnect with ʻike kupuna.

“Your legacy has supported my journey as a scholar and strengthened my ea,” they wrote to Pauahi. “This gratitude and aloha are an infinity for the foundations you laid and the sacrifice and love that made it possible.”

These gatherings and letters display a lāhui moving forward in unity and kapu aloha during this important legal moment. By sharing your moʻolelo, you help affirm the importance of Pauahi’s vision at a time when it matters most. Help us to shape the future of her legacy by sharing yours here: bit.ly/lahuiletters

From classrooms to communities, KS and Hawai'i Pacific Health renew partnership supporting education, health and well-being

A summer experience two years ago helped Kamehameha Schools Kapālama senior Seiya Yim see his future clearly as a nurse practitioner caring for patients, especially those with limited access to health care. He joined a nurse aide certification program offered through a partnership between Kamehameha Schools and Hawaiʻi Pacific Health (HPH) aimed at improving the education, health, economic stability and social well-being of students and families across Hawaiʻi.

“I learned essential health care skills in a classroom setting using professional equipment. This hands-on learning equipped me with the knowledge and the confidence to apply these skills effectively in a real-world setting,” Yim said. “I have been accepted to Chaminade University’s nursing program, and I plan to stay here in Hawaiʻi to give back to the community that raised me.”

Yim is one of more than 100 KS haumāna who have benefited from research opportunities and health care career training programs since the partnership began in 2019. He shared his gratitude with leaders from both organizations who gathered on campus this week to celebrate the renewal and formally sign a new memorandum of understanding.

“Over the past six years, our partnership with Hawaiʻi Pacific Health has shown how powerful it is when health and education are aligned around community,” said Kamehameha Schools CEO Jack Wong. “Together, we’ve opened doors for haumāna to explore health careers, invested in local food entrepreneurs, and grown our local food systems. This new memorandum builds on that momentum by reaffirming our focus on the overall health, resilience and well-being of Native Hawaiians.”

The renewed memorandum introduces a shared initiative focused on enhancing Hawaiian community health and well-being. As part of this effort, HPH and KS will share data and explore opportunities to partner on research related to Native Hawaiian health disparities to better understand and serve community needs.

“I couldnʻt be more excited about renewing the partnership between Hawaiʻi Pacific Health and Kamehameha Schools, mostly because of what it represents around our shared alignment around things that truly create a healthier community, not just in terms of physical health, but economic sustainability, food security, and the broader well-being and benefit for the people of Hawaiʻi,” said Hawaiʻi Pacific Health President & CEO Ray Vara.

Through their collaborative efforts, both organizations have made a significant impact in the areas of focus outlined in their original agreement, including building healthy food systems. They achieved their purchasing goal of sourcing at least 50% of food locally for dining services and surpassed that goal in 2025.

“The food system work we’re doing with Hawaiʻi Pacific Health is really incredible because they set a target, we set out to reach it, and we both met our targets in terms of serving our communities, having amazing food, and also supporting our farmers and local agriculture,” Wong said.

“We are deeply grateful to Kamehameha Schools for this partnership and are proud of the impact we’ve made together to improve social determinants of health for Hawai‘i families,” Vara said. “Through innovative programs, we’ve advanced workforce development initiatives, supported local food systems and made transformational investments. This new agreement reaffirms our shared commitment to leverage our collective strengths in health care and education to create healthier communities across Hawai‘i.”