December 2005

Malie Scholarship Promotes Hawaiian Education

Press Release
Media contact: Carol Bain 246-2111 bain@kauai.net

Malie Scholarship Promotes Hawaiian Education from Preschool to High School

The Kaua`i Mokihana Festival announces the Malie Scholarship applications available immediately to all youth, pre-school to high school. Scholarships are awarded twice a year, spring and fall, to students on the island of Kaua`i and Ni`ihau. Group applications are also considered. Awards range from $100 to $500.

Scholarships can be applied to the community in general, and may include:

• An Early Childhood Development Program
• Preschool/Program
• Grade School/Program
• Middle School/Program
• Junior High School/High School
• High School/Program

Applications are available by writing to Kaua`i Mokihana Festival, ATTN: Malie Scholarship Committee, PO Box 13, Kapaa, HI 96746 or by calling Rene Tokuda, 822-5514. Deadline for Applications is 12/15/05. The KMF board members who are on the committee are Puna Kalama Dawson, Edee Bandmann, and Rene Tokuda.. Community representatives include Jill Kouchi.

The origin of this scholarship began 18 years ago, when the Malie Trio, a Hawaiian musical group including Larry Duhaylongsod, James Ekolu Panui, and Nathan Kalama began to perform together. Founder, Nathan Kalama recalls, “We were three young Hawaiian men who realized we were not given enough opportunities to learn our own language. We wanted a scholarship formed to support the early days of the Hawaiian immersion schools and Punana Leo. We wanted to help children learn the Hawaiian language. The Malie scholarship continues today in the memory of Larry and Ekolu.”

Forms are also available at http://mokihana.kauai.net/malie/scholarship.html

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