Kona students perform oli, hula at D.C. summit

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Four Ke Kula o Ehunuikaimalino students performed last Saturday for more than 15,000 people during Teach For America’s 25th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C.

Four Ke Kula o Ehunuikaimalino students performed last Saturday for more than 15,000 people during Teach For America’s 25th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C.

After opening with a traditional oli, the students – Laakea Foster (sixth grade); Kukamaehumakakoaokalani Inaba (eighth grade); Kainoa Fernandez (ninth grade), and Andelen Olelo Losalio (11th grade) — performed a special hula by Kumu Keala Ching. They also got to meet U.S. Sen. Mazie K. Hirono and practiced hula outside the U.S. Capitol.

The students applied and were selected to represent Teach For America’s Native Alliance Initiative. They were accompanied by Lihau Godden, their teacher at the Kealakekua school. ■