MOTIVATIONAL SERIES
FOR STUDENTS
GLENN AWONG
of MAOLI
Original Release Date: May 10, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
Glenn wasn’t always sure where music would take him but he was certainly willing to try. Music went from being a passion of his and has evolved into a successful career with accolades from i‐Heart’s Island Music Awards and the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. He has had the opportunity to play, inspire and uplift many around the world through his music. He encourages you “to follow your dream, put your heart into it, be passionate about it, give it time, learn, (and) grow”. In his toughest of times knowing his purpose and calling to play music was the reason why he kept pushing. He encourages you to find your passion, your purpose and your calling in life so that “when the adversity comes, no matter how hard it hits you, you’re going to get back up”.
KALE KAHELE
OF ʻEKOLU
Original Release Date: Feb 8, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
His passion for music from childhood developed over time and blossomed into a more tangible opportunity while still in high school. Once an aspiring musician being influenced by the award-winning group ‘Ekolu, Kale is now a lead back-up vocalist for the group ‘Ekolu inspiring others. He never imagined as a kid that this would become his career, and although his life as a musician comes with its ups and downs, the key for him is to always persevere. His message of hope encourages us to find the positive in every experience and to “find beauty through the rain”. Don’t let the circumstances of life define who you are – instead find your joy, embrace love and speak into existence the desires of your heart.
ANUHEA JENKINS
Original Release Date: Apr 12, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 6-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
Anuhea shares that as a kid she was a bit weird and different from most but found acceptance in theater and was able to be herself. Her thespian community and involvement in plays gave her a space to flourish. She accredits a lot of her growth to school programs and classes at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama campus, her close family, friends and a wonderful support system. Anuhea encourages us to inspire one another to keep working hard and pushing through the challenges. Through her perseverance she has grown in the music industry and has been topping charts both in the islands and throughout the world garnering awards like the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Female Vocalist of the Year. Just as others believed in her as a young person, she wants other youth to know and feel the same way.
ROMAN DE PERALTA
of KOLOHE KAI
Original Release Date: Apr 5, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
As a child Roman De Peralta dreamt of being a visual artist, however, life had other plans for him and although he is an artist, his focus has been on music. Roman has come a long way from playing drums with chopsticks and soda cans. In fact, the music of Kolohe Kai has received recognition as Reggae Album of the Year both by the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards and Island Music Awards. Throughout his video Roman shares words of encouragement and motivation that helped to lift him up when he wanted to give up on life. These words served as inspiration for his composition, Round and Round. He hopes that by sharing his music, others will hear what they need, at the time they need it, for whatever it is they are going through.
KIMIÉ MINER
Original Release Date: Apr 26, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
Kimié has received recognition as an artist and producer from the Grammy Awards, Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards and The Island Music Awards. Being in the industry for over a decade, she accredits much of her success to her passion being greater than her fear. She had to live her passion fearlessly, remain authentic to who she is and believe in herself. Even amidst this pandemic, she’s successfully pivoted and learned that “resilience is a muscle and we have to work at it, nothing in life is easy.” Through every challenge she’s grown and with her growth her openness to work with peers and serve as a mentor to the next generation is helping to build a greater foundation for those to come. Listen to the lyrics of her songs and the wise words she has to share and be encouraged to “kūlia i ka nuʻu” (strive for the summit).
MARVIN TEVAGA
Original Release Date: May 17, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ), World Culture
Marvin Tevaga is a born and raised Maui musician from Lāhainā who serves his community as a school resource officer with the Maui Police Department. His family came to Hawaiʻi from Samoa, and although his family was not necessarily a musical family, he was familiar with the entertainment industry as his father was a skilled performer of Siva Afi, fire knife dancing. Marvin developed a love for music at a young age and was determined to pursue his passion after learning ʻukulele at his elementary school. He learned a valuable lesson at the time that humility and hard work are key in being successful. His love for music serves as a bridge of communication between him and others, including students he has the privilege of supporting in school and any others that might hear his music.
PAULA FUGA
Original Release Date: Mar 21, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 2-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
Paula, a professional musician, singer and songwriter for more than 15 years, always had a passion for music. As a young child she had a vision of herself performing on stage and knew in the depths of her heart that music was her gift and calling in life. She encourages our keiki and young people to not only pursue their own gift in life, but to be supportive of the gifts of those around them too. Paula points out the importance of valuing our differences and mālama kekahi i kekahi, caring for one another. She reminds us to be nice, to be loving, and to be kind because our actions, whether good or bad, will eventually come back to us. Aloha exudes from her both when sharing her manaʻo and in the performance of her mele. Hear the heart of her message and be motivated to be the good we wish to see in this world.
IKAIKA BLACKBURN
Original Release Date: Mar 8, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 2-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (Hā), ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
Eia kekahi wikiō mai Ikaika Blackburn ma ka ʻŌlelo ʻelua - ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi a me ka ʻŌlelo Pelekane. He haku mele, mea mele, mea hoʻokani pila a kanaka kinai ahi ʻo ia. Ua loaʻa ʻo ia, me kona mau hoaloha mai ka hui mele ʻo Nā Hoa, ʻehiku makana mai Nā Hōkū Hanohano a me kekahi kohoʻana mai ka Grammy. Nui kona aloha no nā hīmeni Hawaiʻi a e walaʻau ʻo ia e pili ana kona mo’olelo mele. E hoʻolohe a nanea i nā mele Hawaiʻi e hīmeni ʻo ia.
Ikaika is part of the multi Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winning and Grammy nominated trio Nā Hoa, he is a composer, solo musician, and a firefighter. He is deeply inspired by Hawaiian music and shares his thoughts, compositions and love for mele as it connects him to his kūpuna, his ʻāina and his identity as a kanaka Hawaiʻi. This bilingual video, done in both English and Hawaiian, shares with the viewer the importance of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and the perpetuation of everything Hawaiian. Listen and enjoy the Hawaiian music he sings.
JOSEPH SOUL
Original Release Date: Apr 19, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
At the age of 10, Joseph Soul competed in his first talent show and came in last place. He shares that “no matter what, you’re going to face different walls and roadblocks in life” but that “if you work hard enough you can knock down those roadblocks eventually.” Years later he has travelled the world as a successful DJ, was part of the group Sudden Rush and even beat out thousands who auditioned for The Voice and made it to the show’s live performance round. He’s had to learn to push through those days when he lacked motivation to do anything. To pursue your passion is to be willing to do it even when you don’t feel like it. Joseph shares his skills as a loop artist by creating two of his songs Don’t Ever Change and So Low from scratch.
ZACHARY LUM
of KEAUHOU
Original Release Date: Feb 1, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 6-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ),Hawaiian Music Composition, Hawaiian Language
As a member of the seventeen-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning trio Keauhou, Zack has been instrumental in breathing life into traditional Hawaiian music and is a practitioner of mele Hawaiʻi. He is passionate about haku mele, its correlation with aloha ʻāina, and the importance of mele performance. He helps to make connections with place to people and purpose through musical poetry. The idea of music going beyond entertainment through oral documentation gives greater meaning to the why behind the what. Hear from Zack and allow for a greater connection, as you not only enjoy the mele he shares, but look at its purpose. Let’s be motivated to better understand our role, and our contribution to our Hawaiʻi community.
LOPAKA COLON
Original Release Date: Mar 22, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 2-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
August B. Lopaka Colón Jr., known to many in the music industry as Lopaka, is a percussion extraordinaire seen widely throughout Hawaiʻi’s music scene. Following in the footsteps of his father Augie Colón, Lopaka spent his younger years on Molokaʻi banging away on drums instead of surfing the waves like most of his friends. His passion over time grew, and so did his artistic abilities after majoring in Ethnomusicology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He has won multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards with groups Pure Heart and Colón and continues to collaborate with many of Hawaiʻi’s top musicians today. In his video Lopaka gives us “the formula” and demonstrates how he creates soundscapes and emulates nature through his music. You’ll also want to sign up to see him in Kimié’s video being released later in this series.
JOSH TATOFI
Original Release Date: Jan 25, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ)
Inspired by his father Tiva Tatofi, original member of the acclaimed island and reggae band Kapena, multi-Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner and Grammy nominee Josh Tatofi shares about what sparked his interest in music as a child. Although he initially pursued the same genre of music as his father, his shift to mele Hawaiʻi has opened doors and led to many opportunities he never thought possible. His humble nature and determination to stay grounded has helped him navigate even the most difficult of times, it has helped him to create, to keep moving, and to live life to its fullest. Register now to hear Josh’s thoughts on doing and getting, and get a front row seat to his virtual performance.
JOHN AKAPO
Original Release Date: Jan 5, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ), World Culture
Music runs deep in John’s heritage. It didn’t matter if he was surrounded by frigid air while living in Alaska or found himself surrounded by the vast ocean Pacific while in American Samoa, his love for music went with him everywhere he went. John, who is of Samoan and Tokelauan descent, started his professional music career on Maui and has taken a liking to a genre that isn’t as popular here in the islands. He encourages you to acknowledge what makes you different, he acknowledges a need to prioritize, and shares the result of the choices he made. He was taught to “take care of his books”, but really, for him the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” is the mindset you want to go in with as you enjoy what he has prepared for you.
THE PEEK-A-BOWS
Original Release Date: Jan 5, 2021
Recommended Ages: Grades 4-12
Curriculum Connection: SEL, Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ), World Culture
Lokahi
Mālama i ke kai
Three colorful sisters Lena, ʻAlani, and Poni make-up the trio that is The Peek-a-Bows. They live in Ānuenue (rainbow) and help to share with keiki of Hawaiʻi and around the world important kuleana (responsibilities) we have and values that we ought to live by. Their message will be presented in two videos, the first is Mālama i Ke Kai (Caring for the Ocean) and the second Lōkahi (Unity). Every keiki has an opportunity to be the difference, adults too, so why not have fun doing it with the spirit of aloha always! Sing, laugh and dance along with The Peek-a-Bows as they come to you from their studio, and think of them and their message every time you see a rainbow.