News

PREL Congratulates Former PREL Director as New Minister of Education

HHeine

PREL (Pacific Resources for Education and Learning) congratulates Dr. Hilda Heine on her new appointment as the Minister of Education for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Dr. Heine is the only woman in the 33-seat parliament and the only person in the country who holds a PhD.

The new RMI President, Christopher Loeak, announced his cabinet in January 2012.

Dr. Heine worked for PREL for 16 years as the Director for Policy and Capacity Building and as a member of PREL’s Cabinet. Dr. Heine also served as the Project Director for PREL’s Pacific Comprehensive Center (PCC), a U.S. Department of Education program in the Pacific region that helps close achievement gaps and meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act. 

PREL values the contributions Dr. Heine has made while working at PREL, and praises her dedication and commitment to improving the education systems in the Pacific. PREL looks forward to working with Dr. Heine in her new role as Minister of Education to improve educational outcomes for the Marshallese people.

    (Posted January 26, 2012)

    E Ho‘omau! Films Screening at Doris Duke Theater

    Menehune_6
    The Menehune Chief summons his brave warriors.

    PREL (Pacific Resources for Education and Learning) is pleased to announce that the film portion of the E Ho‘omau! program will be shown on February 19, 2012, at the Honolulu Academy of Arts Doris Duke Theater for Family Film Sunday. The three animations will have two showings at 11:10 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

    The E Ho‘omau! films are part of a culturally rich curriculum development project funded under the Native Hawaiian Education Program of the U.S. Department of Education. Each curriculum component includes an animated short film, 18–20 minutes in length; a graphic novel that tells the story in pictures and words; three science textbooks based on 4th grade science and literacy standards; and a teacher’s guide.

    The E Ho‘omau! program was inspired by traditional Hawaiian stories: Why Māui Snared the Sun, The Menehune and the Birds, and Pele Searches for a Home. 

    The stories incorporate Native Hawaiian legends, language, and cultural references to supplement 4th grade science and literacy curricula. Students learn about geology related to the story of Pele, astronomy with the Māui narrative, and ecology with the tale of the Menehune. 

    The creators worked closely with Kamehameha Schools, the Bishop Museum, the University of Hawai‘i, the Lyon Arboretum, the Hawai‘i Nature Conservancy, the Volcano Observatory, the Pacific Tsunami Museum, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to ensure both the stories and the text materials are culturally and scientifically correct.

    The films are also airing on ‘Ōiwi TV, a digital cable TV channel that serves the Native Hawaiian community.


    		 Maui_pulls_Kala Pele_Namaka
    Māui Snares the Sun Pele and Namaka face each other in battle.

      (Posted January 24, 2012)

      PREL Now Accepting Applications for Pacific Teacher Scholarship

      PREL is accepting online applications for the Pacific Teacher Scholarship Program for Academic Year 2012–2013. The application deadline is April 1, 2012. 

      PREL awards about five scholarships each year to residents of the U.S.-affiliated Pacific to honor their commitment to teaching excellence. The amounts vary from $500 to $1,000.

      To be eligible, you must:

      • Be a resident of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of Palau, or the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
      • Be a 2nd-, 3rd-, or 4th-year student at an accredited college or university.
      • Be enrolled in an accredited teacher preparation program.
      • Be a student in good standing. (A grade point average [GPA] of at least 2.5 qualifies you as a student in good standing.)
      • Intend to teach in a school in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific.

      For more information about applying or donating to the Pacific Teacher Scholarship, please visit the Pacific Teacher Scholarship webpage. 

        (Posted January 19, 2012)

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