Support 'Ōlelo Hawai'i students to National History Showcase

https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2025/02/students-show-they-know-their-history-own-it-during-hawaii-history-day/

Aloha mai kākou,

We are three 'ōlelo Hawai‘i immersion students from Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘o Kekaulike ma Maui (Kekaulike High School on Maui): Pristine Pullman, Chukashali Smith, and A'hari Gonzalez. We've been honored to advance to the 2025 National 'Ōlelo Hawai‘i Showcase at the National History Day contest this June 6-14, 2025, in College Park and Washington D.C., hosted by the University of Maryland in partnership with the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities.

OUR PROJECT: KE KO'IKO'I O KE KAPU O MAUNA KEA Guided by this year's National History Day theme, "Rights and Responsibilities," our project explores the sacredness of Mauna Kea and the ongoing movement to mālama its spiritual and cultural significance. Through lots of research, interviews, and deep reflection, we uncovered how Kanaka 'Oiwi connection to 'ãina is intertwined with the broader struggles for cultural preservation, sovereignty, and environmental stewardship.

From Maui to the National Stage: Honoring Mauna Kea & 'Ōlelo Hawai‘i After placing first at the Maui District Fair and being selected as one of only four 'Ōlelo Hawai'i projects to advance from the state contest on April 5th at Windward Community College, our work will now travel to the national stage. Presenting at both the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the University of Maryland's Stamp Union Hall.

This weeklong academic event held annually brings together nearly 3,000 students, teachers, and family’s from across the nation to celebrate outstanding historical research and achievement and we are humbled to carry our culture, language, and voices to this national platform. Beyond the competition and Showcase, NHD participants have the opportunity to explore Washington, D.C.’s rich historical and cultural sites such as:

This journey is bigger than us. It’s about standing for Mauna Kea, not just as a mountain, but as a sacred piko of our people. It’s about protecting what is sacred, upholding the rights of Kānaka ʻŌiwi, and upholding our kuleana to the ʻāina and to each other. As ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi immersion students, we carry the voice of our lāhui and the dreams of our kūpuna into national spaces where we have long been silenced. Presenting entirely in Hawaiian, we don’t just represent a language - we breathe life into it, showing that it is thriving and deserving of recognition. Our presence at the Smithsonian and the University of Maryland is a declaration: Hawaiian voices belong here. Our moʻolelo matters. And through this journey, we help build a future where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi stands tall, equal, honored, and heard.

While 'Ōlelo Hawai‘i projects currently do not compete beyond a state level, we are honored to present at the national showcase as 1 of only 4 'ōlelo Hawai'i projects chosen to represent Hawai'i.

Our hope is that one day, Hawaiian language will be recognized and evaluated equally alongside dominant languages, not as an an exception, but as a rightful participant in academic spaces. By attending and presenting, we are helping build that future. We represent more than ourselves. We carry generations of resilience, pride, and aloha.

WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT: The cost per attendee is $3,000, covering round-trip airfare, lodging accommodations, meals, ground transportation, program registration, and incidental expenses for the entire week for 3 students and 1 parent chaperone.

TRAVEL COSTS

HCH Travel Package $1,450

Additional Travel from Maui to Honolulu $454.40

NHD Lodging & Meal Package: $786

Program Registration $165

Meals: 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, & 5 dinners

Approximate Total: $2,855.40

A service fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 will be deducted from EACH donation. For example: A $50 donation would have a $1.75 fee, so we would receive $48.25. Therefore we are setting our goal at $3,000 per attendee. Any additional funds raised will help cover incidental expenses during the trip and provide spending money as needed.

Our collective fundraising goal is $12,000

YOUR KŌKUA MAKES THIS POSSIBLE Your support helps alleviate the financial burden on our families and reinforces the importance of our voices and our language. Every contribution, whether monetary or through words of encouragement, enables us to represent Hawaii history, values, and language with pride on a national stage.

HOW TO HELP

1. Donate via this GoFundMe

2. Share our campaign with friends, family, and community networks

3. Sponsor a student (full or partial)

4. Repost on social media

5. Offer kōkua in the form of airline miles or fundraising support

6. Send words of encouragement to uplift us as we prepare for this journey

7. Contact fundraiser organizer on GOFUNDME to donate via cash or check. A tax write off will be provided through Nā Leo Kāko'o o Maui 501(c)(3).

MAHALO NUI LOA Your generosity shapes the future of 'ōiwi leadership. We walk with the voices of our kūpuna and the dreams of our lāhui. This journey is not just about going to D.C., it's about declaring that Hawaiian stories, language, and ‘ike have a rightful place on every stage.

E ala e ka Mauna,

E ola ka 'āina,

E ola ka 'ōlelo,

E kù pa'a ka lāhui.

We rise with the mountain,

The land lives,

The language breathes,

Our nation stands firm.

Me ka ha'aha'a,

Pristine Pullman, Chukashali Smith, & A'hari Gonzalez

Ka Hui Lā Mo'aukala 'o Kekaulike