HALT

Mahalo nui loa to everyone who made our Hawaiʻi Spring Conference “Navigating Diversity Language, Culture, and Advocacy in a Globalized World” such a meaningful and inspiring experience

We are so grateful to our incredible keynote speaker, Linda Egnatz, and to our sponsor, for helping bring this vision to life.

Special mahalo to Alex Tang, Jim Yoshioka, and to our amazing Spring Conference Committee for their dedication and hard work behind the scenes 🙌

To all participants and our HALT Board, your energy, collaboration, and passion made this unforgettable.

Let’s continue to uplift language, culture, and diversity in our classrooms and communities . A hui hou!🌺🤙🏽. ~Rosa Bell / HALT president

🌸 Register now for the 40th HALT Spring Conference!

Registration is open through April 17, so be sure to save your spot. Join us for an exciting event featuring this year’s keynote speaker, Linda Egnatz, Executive Director of the Global Seal of Biliteracy.

Register today at halthome.org

Mahalo to our board member, Imelda Gasmen, for proudly representing our state at this year’s Language Advocacy Day in Washington, DC.

During her time there, she joined educators and legislators from across the SCOLT region, and shared updates on both our state and national advocacy efforts. She also engaged in meaningful discussions about the many ways JNCL supports and strengthens language advocacy initiatives across the country.

We are grateful for her leadership and commitment to elevating the importance of world language education on a national stage.

📌Call to action for Hawai’i’s linguistic diversity!!! Sponsor, support, and vote for legislations that promotes bilingual and multilingual education, and language access!

Aloha e HALT members,

Our 40th Annual HALT Spring Conference, Navigating Diversity: Language, Culture, and Advocacy in a Globalized World, will take place on Saturday, April 25 (7:45 am - 2:30 pm) at the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies on the UH Mānoa campus.

We are pleased to welcome Linda Egnatz, Executive Director of the Global Seal of Biliteracy, as our keynote speaker. She will also be leading our afternoon workshop.

Highlights will also include a variety of paper and wiki wiki sessions, our publishersʻ exhibit, and the announcement of this year’s HALT Teacher of the Year. We hope you will join us for this exciting event!

Registration is open (discounted rates for HALT members). Optional bento lunches also available for pre-order.

Pre-registration deadline: April 17, 2026

Registration form: https://www.jotform.com/260156367882162

Group registration - invoice request form (for schools or departments who wish to pay for their teachers or students via PO, check, etc.):
https://form.jotform.com/260156531750149

Preparing Hawaiʻi’s ʻōlelo educators at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo:

Preparing Hawaiʻi’s ʻōlelo educators at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo | Big Island Now Hawaiian language immersion programs throughout the islands are growing fast. Fast enough they are strained to keep up with the demand, needing more qualified teachers; a University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo program director and educator is dedicated to filling the gap.

College student wins recognition of Hawaiian language for requirement:

Cornell University told her Ōlelo Hawaiʻi did not meet language requirements to graduate. She pushed back, and won. Cultivating Culture Q&A Kaylah Toves spoke with Cultivating Culture about her work in language revitalization and what she's learned living between cultural and academic settings. Kaylah Toves took her own advice and stood up for herself. The senior at Cornell University faced pushback when she rece...

Hawaii students recognized before China exchange trip:

Maryknoll students recognized ahead of cultural exchange trip to China The school honored 15 fourth- and fifth-grade Mandarin Immersion students during a special blessing before they depart Wednesday for a 12-day trip to Beijing.

Mahalo to Dr. ʻAlohilani Okamura, Joyce Brumble, Rachelle Funtanilla, and Heather Paulino for proudly representing the HALT as the best of Hawaiʻi at the Southwest Conference on Language Teaching conference.

Your presentation, “Breathing HĀ through Kilo,” beautifully reflected the depth, culture, and heart of our islands while showcasing excellence in world language education. Your dedication to your students and to our profession is truly admirable.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, passion, and aloha with educators beyond our state.

Thank you Reed Riggs for representing our state as Teacher of the Year at . We are incredibly proud of the passion, dedication, and excellence you bring to our profession every single day.

Your hard work not only elevates world language education in our state, but also inspires educators across the region. Thank you for leading with heart, integrity, and a true commitment to student learning. We are honored to have you as an example of excellence in our community.

School celebrates 3 decades of Hawaiian language immersion:

Students have been speaking ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi at this Molokaʻi school for over 30 years As we celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian language month, HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol takes us to Molokaʻi, where the language is in good hands with haumāna at the island's elementary school language immersion program.

Strategies to boost bilingual proficiency in dual language:

Prioritize the Partner Language Stacey Washburn offers strategies to increase bilingual proficiency and biliteracy in dual language programs Imagine getting ready for the return of your students from PE to Spanish Language Arts. A few minutes later, they enter your classroom, chatting to one another as they take their seats. What....

Hawaiian immersion schools thrive amid teacher shortages:

Hawaiian Immersion Schools Are Growing, But There’s One Problem The state doesn't have enough teachers to keep up with demand for schools taught in Hawaiian. Upcoming retirements are expected to add to the challenge.