The Kamehameha Schools Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center has reached a major milestone! Since opening its doors in 2003, the center has verified the Hawaiian ancestry of 100,000 learners from newborns to 80-year-olds!
Verified learners who want to be considered under Kamehameha’s Hawaiian preference policy can apply for KS programs for life, without ever having to re-verify their ancestry.
“I often say we are in the business of life,” said Data Center Director Michelle Sasaoka. “There are so many changes that can occur over a person’s lifetime that may affect the verification review – including marriages, divorces and giving children up for adoption.”
KS’ Hawaiian ancestry verification process is rigorous and requires documentation of a family’s Hawaiian genealogy through original birth certificates. According to Sasaoka, this process is straightforward for most applicants, but for others it can be a challenge.
“Our process requires our applicants to declare their mo‘okū‘auhau (genealogy) for both their Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian lines. For many, this is the first time they’ve taken the time to write their ancestors’ names and birth dates down. It is gratifying when we see them engaged and interested in not only their Hawaiian side, but their non-Hawaiian side as well.
“Helping bridge gaps in people’s lives with our verification process is done with much care and respect. Some cases require more time and research than others. Our staff is prepared to guide families down the right path and to point them toward community resources and government agencies that can help.”
KS Financial Aid and Scholarship Services Manager Brandy Allen has nothing but praise for the verification process.
“The process was meaningful cultural experience for our family,” said Allen, whose children and mother are also verified. “It’s a process where families are engaged in their genealogy, providing a deep understanding of where they come from and who they are.
“Since we were verified, my family has benefited from many KS preference programs including Kamehameha Scholars and summer enrichment programs.”
Allen is hoping a scholarship for her son Kayson Mahiai – a senior at Konawaena High School – will help pay his tuition at Butte College in California.
The Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center has even helped learners access opportunities beyond KS. A verification letter from Kamehameha is recognized by organizations like Chaminade University of Honolulu and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as proof of a person’s Hawaiian ancestry. It is also recognized by organizations across the nation that serve indigenous peoples.
“Over time, our families who have successfully completed the process have become our biggest allies,” said Sasaoka. “They encourage their family members and friends to get their children and themselves verified through our center. This word-of-mouth advertising is priceless!”
Sasaoka and her team send a heartfelt “mahalo” to members of the KS employee ‘ohana who work face-to-face with applicants and families to guide them through the verification process. They include the staffers of the statewide KS Resource Centers, the Admissions and Financial Aid divisions, and high school and post-high counseling.
Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. To be considered under the preference policy, learners must have their Hawaiian ancestry verified through the Hoʻoulu Hawaiian Data Center. For more information, visit the Data Center website. If you are verified and need a copy of your Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center letter, contact the center at registry@ksbe.edu.
Data Center Fast Facts
1) Before the Data Center was established, learners had to submit birth certificates to every program they applied for, and ancestry analysis was conducted independently.
2) The center uses the same system of record today as it did when it opened its doors in 2003. The system was developed internally and only took six months to build.
3) As of February, three members of the Data Center team worked there since the center opened, making the average tenure of a Data Center staffer 10 years.
4) An estimated 7,000 new names are added to the registry every year.
5) The KS Kapālama class of 2017 will be the first class whose entire student body went thru the Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center’s verification process before being admitted to KS. (Students who entered the Kapālama campus prior to the opening of the Data Center needed to re-verify their ancestry through the center to receive continued benefits under KS’ preference policy, including post-high scholarships.)
To learn more, visit the Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center website.
The [Hawaiian ancestry verification] process was a meaningful cultural experience for our family. It’s a process where families are engaged in their genealogy, providing a deep understanding of where they come from and who they are.
Brandy Allen, KS Financial Aid and Scholarship Services Manager
KS Financial Aid and Scholarship Svcs. Program Manager Brandy Allen (r), son Tirrel Allen (front), mother Stephanie Tinao and son Kayson Mahiai – a recent Konawaena High School grad – were verified through the Data Center.
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