Pūnana Leo O Maui Hawaiian Immersion Preschool

Akakū Maui Community Television welcomes Hawaiian Immersion Preschool Director Kili Namau’u of Pūnana Leo O Maui in Wailuku. She will share her impressions of the impact that early education in the Hawaiian language can have on families and communities as part of the Akakū Upstairs Summer Salon Series, Thursday, August 8, from 6-7:30 pm.

Hawaii is the only state that recognizes two official languages, English and ‘Olelo Hawai’i. Since the early 1980s, the grassroots organization ‘Aha Pūnana Leo has been working to establish Hawaiian Language Immersion Programs at schools throughout the state.

In 1987, the group founded a hands-on, family-oriented, Hawaiian Immersion Preschool program on the grounds of Ka’ahumanu Church in Wailuku where Pūnana Leo O Maui now serves about 30 students and their families.

Kili Namau’u started as a volunteer at the school just a few years after it was founded and has now been Director for over 25 years. Namau’u is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and in 2017, she was appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Ige to represent Maui County. Namau’u will share her personal experience as part of Pūnana Leo O Maui and the impact that their “whole family approach” has on the lives of teachers, students, and their families.

Salons are held Thursday evenings from 6-7:30 pm in the Akakū Media Lab, 333 Dairy Road, Suite 204, in Kahului, just upstairs from the Akakū TV studios and KAKU Radio. The presentations are taped for cablecast on Akaku Blue Channel 55 and made available for viewing “on-demand” through www.akaku.org/maui-salon-upstairs-vod/.  These interesting and informative presentations are admission-free, but please RSVP to Akakū Maui Community Media at www.akaku.org/salons or call 808-871-5554 to let them know you are coming.