Programs
Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu’ukapu
Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu’ukapu is Hawai’i‘s first community-designed and controlled intergenerational learning destination located on 30 acres of Department of Hawaiian Home Lands at Pu’ukapu, Waimea. The goal of this and future kauhale, situated in cultural kïpuka throughout Hawai’i, is to initiate native community sustainability and economic development and bring about community governance and self-determination. Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu’ukapu combines green, high performance technology and the use of alternative building methods and energy sources which are aligned with Hawaiian values of mälama and aloha ‘āina.
The first building of Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu’ukapu, called Hālau Ho‘olako, was dedicated in January 2009. Modeling an environmentally conscious green-building approach, Hālau Ho‘olako provides optimal learning conditions, as well as access to state-of-the-art technology to 150 6-12 grade students attending Kanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School. During non-school hours, the 9,300 square foot, $ 4.8 million dollar learning resource center offers a wide range of programs to learners of all ages.
Hālau Ho’olako is built to nationally stringent LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, as well as high performance standards developed by the Collaborative of High Performance Schools (CHPS) which advocate environments that are energy and resource efficient, healthy, comfortable and contain the amenities needed for a quality education. Learning and gathering spaces feature optimal lighting, acoustical comfort and other learning conditions designed to encourage collaboration and integrated learning.
The landscape is designed, propagated and maintained by Kanu o ka ‘Āina’s K-12 students and features plants native to the Waimea area essential for maintaining and perpetuating the rich cultural heritage and vibrant traditions of Hawai’i’s Indigenous people.
The second phase of Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu’ukapu expected to be completed by summer 2011 involves the design and construction of Hālau Pōki’i, Hawai’i’s first early childhood complex providing seamless, culturally-driven education to 200 young children ranging from infants to grade 5.