Ulu A‘e
Learning Center
Growing Rooted and Engaged Communities
In addition to serving youth during out-of-school time, Ulu A‘e offers Native Hawaiian arts and practices workshops for parents and families, as well as monthly community stewardship experiences at Pu‘uokapolei, a cultural and historic site in Kapolei Regional Park. We also host two annual signature events: Makahiki ma Kapolei and the Kapu‘uola Hula Festival.
Your donation will help to grow rooted and engaged children
and families in our communities.
Ulu A‘e Learning Center is expanding opportunities through our No‘eau After School, Nene‘e Intersession, Hana‘i‘o Food Gathering and Diving, and Pi‘ina Internship programs. These safe, supportive, and culturally grounded spaces allow keiki and ‘ōpio to explore their passions, deepen their connection to place, and build the skills they need to thrive.
Your support enables enriching activities, stewardship experiences, hands-on cultural learning, and mentorship that inspire growth year-round.
Hana Hei
Hana hei (Hawaiian string figures) is a form of Hawaiian storytelling and mnemonic device. Keiki learn hei in each of Ulu A‘e’s programs. Hana hei engages the young minds of our keiki in a way that encourages the use of our native language and the practice of a traditional conginitive form of memorization.
Neneʻe
The Nene‘e program is designed for keiki ages 5 – 14 and held during the DOE intersession breaks. Participants explore their community through daily site visits and by engaging in mo‘olelo (stories), hana no‘eau (native Hawaiian skills and practices) and kuleana (stewardship). Daily lessons emphasize establishing life long habits that support our planet like using refillable water bottles, eliminating single use plastics and removing invasives from our natural environments.