When Kohala Middle School teachers Jenny Stevens and Sheri Preston walk into their classrooms, potential they see in their students shapes how they teach and engage with students and fuels confidence in every student, no matter their background. This belief has led them to a partnership with Mike Manu, Holokai project leader and one of the Makalii voyaging canoe captains.
It is important to pass the art of voyaging using celestial navigation on to the next generation because it was lost for 600 years; no one wants to see that happen again. For the past three summers, Jenny and Sheri’s students have participated in the 10-day Holokai project learning the fundamentals of voyaging and reconnecting with our island culture.
Until their most recent voyage, canned food was all the Makalii crew ate. But that changed when the crew taught school and community members how to dehydrate and can locally grown food. Kohala Middle and several other Hawaii island schools participated and provided food items for the Makalii. One of the highlights of this endeavor was reconnecting people to the aina and encouraging gardens and food processing.
For students, the Holokai project helps reconnect, motivate and inspire them to persevere, and students need perseverance because voyaging is exhausting work requiring discipline, cooperation and concentration. Students engage in lessons on land and sea that prepare them to lead, as well as work cooperatively with others. Students learn chants and protocols, navigation, voyaging, and most importantly, aloha for one another.
Mike shared a story of a student who wanted to quit while at sea. Others rallied around the student to continue. He waa he waa. Moku He Moku, which means “the canoe is an Island, the Island is a canoe.”
When on a voyage, the canoe is the island and what’s on the canoe is all you have. There are limited resources and voyagers must care for and respect each other to survive. Students developed empathy and compassion. Caring for others and being kind are qualities much needed in our world. Mahalo piha to Jenny, Sheri and Mike for teaching our students valuable life lessons.
Jenny Stevens teaches science, AVID and Hawaiian Studies. In her free time Jenny enjoys Hula, spending time with her dogs, horse, cats and friends. She loves being on the waa.
Sheri Preston teaches special education math. Soccer mom is Sheri’s official after school title.
Teacher Feature is a partnership among the Department of Education West Hawaii Complex Area, Hokupaa, and Delta Kappa Gamma Rho Chapter
