Pūnana Leo
Hawaiian-language preschools / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pūnana Leo (lit. 'voice nest'; often translated as "language nest") are private, non-profit preschools run by families, in which the Hawaiian language is the language of instruction and administration.
Initially opened illegally, the first Pūnana Leo opened in 1984 in Kekaha, Kauaʻi. Based on the practices of 19th-century Hawaiian-language schools, as well as the Māori language revival kindergartens in New Zealand, the Pūnana Leo was the first indigenous language immersion preschool project in the United States. Graduates from the Pūnana Leo schools have achieved several measures of academic success in later life.
As of 2022, there were a total of 11 Pūnana Leo preschools, with locations on five of the Hawaiian Islands.[1]