Our Vision
Hawaiians have a saying:
Ua ao Hawai‘i ke ‘olino nei mālamalama (Hawai‘i is enlightened, for the brightness of day is here)
Our Meaning
Ka Lama means “the torch, the light, the lamp.” Kūkulu, in its most basic translation, is the word for “to build or construct.” In Hawaiian tradition, ao, the word for “light” or “day,” is also symbolic for enlightenment.
The names of our programs stem from the concept of enlightenment through education. Ka Lama means “the light” and Kūkuluao means “to build the light”, so that it permeates throughout our work and builds the strength of our community through education.
Mahalo nui to Nani Pai and Liana Honda of Kamehameha Schools - Hawai‘i campus for our name and its interpretation.
Our Vision
- A more stable and community-based teacher workforce committed to increasing the well-being of Native Hawaiians
- Highly qualified teachers with appropriate professional knowledge and aloha for teaching our Native Hawaiian keiki
- Improved academic outcomes for Native Hawaiian students and families
- Increased economic empowerment and self-sufficiency for O‘ahu’s Leeward Coast
- Intergenerational change through higher education
