By: Niki Fisiiahi-Thomayer & Elly Tepper (Ulu Aʻe Transitions)
Since its first gathering in 2017, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s Kaʻū–Keaʻau–Pāhoa Complex Area (KKPCA) Summit has centered on “E Ho‘ohui…joining together as one collective body with a shared purpose.” This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Nicole Yamase who is a living representation of the KKPCA theme of ‘Achieving Excellence with Intention.’
This year’s summit was held on January 31, 2026 and brought nearly 900 teachers, educational assistants, service providers, and administrators together to recommit to serving KKPCA haumāna and ʻohana, moving with neʻepapa as a unified system to support the vision and goals of the schools, complex area, and state. Summit organizer Iwalani Harris noted, “Teacher leaders and administrators have the opportunity to attend national conferences and professional learning. Here in the KKPCA, we wanted to provide similar professional learning by bringing individuals home for all educators. Mahalo to all of our partners who shared their experience and insights with us to improve educational outcomes, create thriving learning environments, and connect schools to the community and beyond.”
Within this spirit, Ulu Aʻe Transitions was honored to be invited to this year’s Summit to represent Growing Pono Schools and present the Growing Pono Schools curriculum and resources. Our learning session focused on key needs educators across KKPCA continue to see in their students: strengthening pilina (connection), strengthening identity and self, and building a sense of belonging to place. Housed in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM), Ulu Aʻe Transitions is funded by the federal USDOE Native Hawaiian Education Program. A team of four from Ulu Aʻe Transitions presented: Niki Fisiiahi-Thomayer (UHM), Sheanae Tam (UHM), Elly Tepper (Consultant Educator), and Beau Uehara (ALU LIKE, Inc.).
We began our learning activities with a piko circle, creating space for participants to reflect, share, and connect with one another. Using our Pono Pass It On Cards (example shown below), educators engaged in meaningful sharing that highlighted the importance of creating a space for thoughtful reflection. The practice modeled how intentional, relational activities can build trust and connection within school communities.
Participants also engaged in a learning activity using a hands-on Growing Pono Schools lesson, experiencing the curriculum as learners/students. In pairs, Summit participants engaged in the Pono Life Skills lesson “Story of My Name,” a learning activity inspired by Auntie Puanani Burgess. Participants collected a partner’s name story by asking “What is the story of your name?” with the shared understanding that the story will contain information about where the person comes from and what their family dreams for them. Partners asked each other: “How were you named or who gave you your name, who else has this name, what does your name(s) mean, and how do you feel about your name?” The activity reinforced attentive, empathetic, respectful listening with the outcome in mind of sharing what was heard of a partner’s story with a larger group.
Participating in these two Growing Pono Schools learning activities allowed educators to see firsthand how easy the Pono Pass It On Cards and Pono Life Skills lessons are to use and how naturally they can be differentiated to meet the needs of diverse classrooms. Experiencing these lessons helped participants envision how they could apply the strategies immediately in their own schools. Participants described the learning activities as meaningful when sharing their key takeaways in the feedback forms. Responses highlighted themes such as recognizing the importance of pilina in the classroom, strengthening connection and belonging, and learning how to better know and understand their students.
Grounded in culture, reflection, and experiential learning, Growing Pono Schools supports educators in moving together with intention and care. As the KKPCA continues forward, the 2026 Summit remains a powerful reminder that when we come together as one, we are truly strongest together.
