Hoʻākea: Mauka to Makai is a statewide learning initiative that connects students to Hawaiʻi’s land, ocean and communities through hands-on, place-based experiences.

Launched in 2023, Hoʻākea uses ʻāina (land) and waʻa (canoe) as living classrooms where students learn by doing, exploring and connecting what they learn in school to the places and people around them. Through these experiences, students build academic skills while developing confidence, curiosity and a sense of responsibility to their communities.

During the 2024–25 school year, Hoʻākea learning reached more than 15,000 students statewide.

Why ʻĀina & Waʻa Learning?

Learning rooted in ʻāina and waʻa helps students understand the world by experiencing it, not just reading about it. These spaces are rich with science, history, language, culture and problem-solving, making learning more meaningful and memorable.

ʻĀina and waʻa naturally show how systems are connected from mauka to makai. Students learn about ecosystems, teamwork, navigation and stewardship while seeing how their actions affect the larger whole.

Just as important, this approach strengthens identity and belonging. When learning reflects Hawaiʻi and students’ lived experiences, students develop confidence, purpose and a sense of kuleana to care for the places and communities they call home.

What Students Experience Through Hoʻākea

Hoʻākea engages students in hands-on learning where culture, academics, and real-world experience come together.

Students learn by:

• Using ʻāina and waʻa as living classrooms
• Exploring science, history, language, navigation and stewardship in place
• Learning cultural and safety protocols grounded in respect
• Working alongside peers, educators and community practitioners
• Reflecting through storytelling, journaling and creative expression

Each experience follows a clear arc of preparation, experience and reflection, helping students carry their learning back into their classrooms, homes and communities.

Learning for teachers and schools

Hoʻākea supports teachers as learners and partners in place-based education. Educators learn alongside students and community practitioners, gaining confidence in connecting classroom instruction to meaningful, real-world learning rooted in ʻāina and culture.

Through Hoʻākea, teachers and schools gain:

• Stronger connections between classroom learning and lived experience
• Opportunities to learn with cultural practitioners and community partners
• Support for culturally responsive instruction grounded in Nā Hopena Aʻo
• Models for safe, intentional learning that complement classroom teaching
• Hoʻākea is designed to support, not replace, classroom instruction.

Learning with community partners

Community organizations, cultural practitioners, and ʻāina and waʻa educators are central to Hoʻākea.

Hoʻākea partners:

• Co-design and lead hands-on learning rooted in local places and practices
• Share moʻolelo and cultural knowledge that deepen student understanding
• Build long-term relationships with schools based on trust and shared responsibility

Leadership learning

Hoʻākea also offers learning experiences for educational leaders. By participating firsthand, leaders build shared understanding around preparation, safety and partnership, supporting thoughtful decisions that sustain culturally responsive, student-centered learning across Hawaiʻi.

IN THE NEWS

Read about Hoʻākea’s reach to students and the community:

• Program highlights Hawaiian studies as essential for student identity (Honolulu Star-Advertiser – Dec. 10, 2025)
• Voyaging initiative steers Oʻahu 4th graders toward wayfinding skills (Hawaiʻi Public Radio – Dec. 5, 2025)
• Students cultivate ‘navigator mindset’ through voyaging, place-based program (Hawaiʻi News Now – Dec. 2, 2025)
• Photo Essay: Students Navigate Toward Hawaiʻi’s Future (Civil Beat – Dec. 8, 2025)