Alumni Making A Difference: Marissa Halagao '17

Alumni Making A Difference

Representation is really important, especially for kids, to see themselves being represented in education, media, television, or literature.”

Integrating Filipino History and Culture in High School Curriculum Design at Punahou and Beyond ~ by Kellie James ’95 Schmidtke “We pride ourselves in Hawai‘i for being so diverse, but if we don’t embrace inclusivity or multiculturalism, then what’s the point?” ~ Marissa Halagao ’17

Marissa Halagao ‘17 visited with one of her That’s when Marissa favorite teachers, Hanahau‘oli School Librarian took matters into Gabby Holt ‘02 her own hands and approached a Punahou curriculum team who was working on a new Asian Studies course that was Global Sustainability Design-based. The curriculum team didn’t have the Philippines in their new class, but with Marissa’s input and curriculum design support, they will now be including it next year.

“People don’t realize this but after not seeing yourself being represented, it’s the best feeling when you do.”

It was the summer before

her sophomore year at Punahou School and Marissa Halagao ’17 sat in her kitchen with her mother, Dr. Patricia Halagao, selecting classes for her upcoming semester. In their review of the required Asian History class description, the two noticed it covered the history of Japan, the history of China, but listed no other countries as a part of the course.

Marissa recalls that her mother’s question prompted her to not only ask “Why?” but also ask “Why can’t it be different?”

“I’m very proud and excited that Punahou has embraced the inclusivity of many more cultures in next year’s Asian History classes. And now, I’m working all summer with my team of collaborators from seven public schools to get our critical and concept-based representation of Filipino history and culture into the Department of Education.”

Marissa Halagao ‘17 by one of her favorite spots on campus, the Reading Tree

Patricia, a professor of curriculum studies at the University of Hawai‘i, asked Marissa: “Why do you think that China and Japan are the ones that are focused on in the first semester?”

“That really got me thinking how there is a hierarchy within Asian countries” recollects Marissa, and “it’s written plainly in the curriculum.”

According to the 2010 United States Census, Filipinos are the largest Asian ethnic group in the state of Hawai‘i, with more than 25 percent of Hawai‘i’s population identifying as full or part Filipino.

Kellie James ‘95 Schmidtke and Marissa Halagao ‘17 take a selfie after their on-campus interview

“It was kind of painful to see,” says Marissa, who points out, “The curriculum should reflect the diversity of the community.

With a grant from Teach for America and funds raised through a Hawai‘i Kids Can’s Spark & Inspire event, Marissa and her team are meeting all summer to work on building curriculum that will include three primary thematic units: Historical Context, Culture & Connections, and Filipinos in Hawai‘i while weaving the theme of Identity throughout. They are currently in the beginning stages of the development process and have identified the DOE standards they want the units and topics to align with.

“Schools have so much power in influencing how kids see

Marissa Halagao ‘17 with her father Avelino (AJ) Halagao at the beginning of Spark & Inspire’s video about the curriculum work Marissa is doing Summer 2021 <

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themselves and who they are,” Marissa explains. “Schools have the power to help students learn about themselves and help their self worth and pride. One of the DOE’s goals is to have more student involvement in curriculum and this project falls right in line with those goals.”

Students have potential

“One thing I learned at a to influence education very young age here at and education has the Hanahau‘oli is how to look power to influence its at things very thematically.

I remember all the handsstudents. ~ Marissa Halagao ’17 on learning we did here and how well that teaches kids about important topics’’ says Marissa. “I think about that concept-based thematic approach when I write curriculum to explore themes such as revolution, colonization, oppression,

imperialization, etc. for all the countries. You can look at it like a web.”

“One of the best things I’ve gotten out of this is meeting my collaborators from different schools. I’ve never had a Filipino group of friends and as we’re learning about our shared culture through curriculum design, I get to learn from them. Some of them are first generation in Hawai‘i and I’m working on my Tagalog. Working together to address this inequity and working together to correct something we’ve all never had as students has helped me step out of my bubble a bit. I may have never met them if it weren’t for this project. I don’t think I can imagine life without them and the wonderful project that we’ve created together.”

Want to Learn More? Visit studentcorner.io/projects/f7YwYgJKSrS3 for updates or Stay Connected with the project on Instagram @filipino_curriculum.

A LU M N I B Y T E S

1930s

Hanahau‘oli alumna Lilian Noda ’32 Yajjima and Hanahau‘oli Board Member Nainoa Thompson were recently featured for their service to society in the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii’s 2021 television segment The Living Treasures of Hawai‘i: Life and Light - Wisdom of Hawai‘i’s Treasures. This beautifully produced collection of five former honorees (Robert Cazimero, Puanani Burgess, Lillian Yajima, Rev. Yoshiaki Fujitani, and Nainoa Thompson) can be found on hawaiinewsnow. com/livingtreasures. (Photo by Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii)

1950s

Hawaiian Culture Facilitator Blair Sataraka shares: “Had an awesome evening with Punahou’s ‘56 reunion class which included Imu Emeritus #1 Scott May ‘50 along with his classmate Lowell Chung ’50. They spoke of days coming to school carrying gas masks and Mrs. Curtis, from the Bishop Museum, coming to tell them Hawaiian stories. I learned about the Mauka and Makai Arterioles, the beginnings of our H-1 freeway. It was such a rich talk-story....I wished I had a camera running!”

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Stepping Stones - Hanahau‘oli School

and Dance has been established and if you would like to contribute in her honor, please contact the Hanahau‘oli Advancement Department. Mahalo!

Aloha! Calling all family and friends of the late Anne Kai ’51 Millard. Her husband Peter would like to announce that the Kapuamailani Kai Millard Endowed Fund for the Fine Arts including Music

In June of 2021 alumnae siblings Niki Miller ’52 and Anahata Miller ’54 Pomeroy shared a lovely visit to Hanahau‘oli School’s Archives to find a