3 Hawaiian Immersion students from Maui ask for help to get to D.C.

Three Hawaiian language immersion students from Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Kekaulike on Maui are calling on the community to help raise $12,000 to represent Hawaiʻi at the 2025 National ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Showcase in Washington, D.C., this June.

The students—Pristine Pullman, Chukashali Smith and Aʻhari Gonzalez—earned national recognition after placing first at the Maui District Fair held April 5 at Windward Community College. Their project, “Ke Koʻikoʻi o ke Kapu o Mauna Kea,” will be presented at both the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the University of Maryland’s Stamp Union Hall during the National History Day (NHD) events taking place June 6–14, 2025.

While ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi entries are not part of the formal NHD competition beyond the state level, they are included in the national showcase as one of only four ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi projects chosen to represent Hawaiʻi.

“Our hope is that one day, Hawaiian language will be recognized and evaluated equally alongside dominant languages, not as an exception, but as a rightful participant in academic spaces,” the students said in a joint statement. “By attending and presenting, we are helping build that future. We represent more than ourselves. We carry generations of resilience, pride and aloha.”

The students’ project explores the sacredness of Maunakea, aligned with this year’s NHD theme of “Rights and Responsibilities.” Through extensive research and interviews, the students uncovered how Kanaka ʻŌiwi connection to ‘ãina is intertwined with the broader struggles for cultural preservation, sovereignty and environmental stewardship.

“This journey is bigger us,” the students said. “It’s about standing for Maunakea, not just as a mountain, but as a sacred piko of our people. It’s about protecting what is sacred, upholding the rights of upholding our Kanaka ʻŌiwi and upholding our kuleana to the ʻāina and to each other.”

Each participant’s travel expenses—including round-trip airfare from Maui, lodging, meals, registration and ground transportation—are estimated at $3,000. The students have launched a GoFundMe campaign to meet their collective fundraising goal of $12,000.

Estimated per-person costs include:

• HCH travel package: $1,450 (includes Hawaiian Airlines airfare between Honolulu and Maryland, charter bus and baggage)
• Additional travel from Maui to Honolulu: $454.40
• Lodging and meals: $786 (includes six breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners)
• Program Registration: $165
• Total: $2,855.40, plus incidentals and service fees

Additional funds raised will help cover incidental expenses and provide basic spending money for the students during their weeklong stay.

The weeklong academic event draws nearly 3,000 students and educators from across the country. Beyond the competition and showcase, NHD participants have the opportunity to explore Washington, D.C.’s rich historical sites such as the US Capitol, Smithsonian museums, Library of Congress and more.

“Our presence at the Smithsonian and the University of Maryland is a declaration: Hawaiian voices belong here,” the students said. “We carry the voice of our lāhui and the dreams of our kūpuna into national spaces where we have long been silenced.”

Community members can kōkua in multiple ways:

• Donate via GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/49cbf1cf
• Sponsor a student (full or partial support)
• Repost the fundraiser on social media
• Offer fundraising help or airline miles
• Send words of encouragement
• Contact the GoFundMe organizer to donate by cash or check

Tax-deductible donations can be made through Nā Leo Kākoʻo o Maui, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting the effort.