Ulu Pono, translated as “To Thrive on a Righteous Path,” is our after-school children’s program. We’re passionate about seeing these kids reach their full potential and create a fun environment where learning, doing homework and growing in character are encouraged.
Our bi-annual Thriving Arts Program is a course that fosters an environment of growth through dance, music and fine arts. The semester ends with the ‘Ohai Ho’ike, an art show where the children can showcase all that they have learned in a community celebration.
We believe in the next generation of Wahiawa and the children that will rise up to lead this island.
Testimony from Haylee Soma
It’s those tight hugs from kids I’ve only known for a short while that makes my heart sing every time I show up at Surfing the Nations (STN) in Wahiawa – you know you’ve experienced something great in life when this happens to you.
Every ride home from the beach makes me feel so taken aback by nature’s unique beauty and those killer Hawaii sunsets, but during the summer something else starting impacting me even more. Driving down past Whitmore Village into Wahiawa Town stood a vintage-looking building with “Surfing the Nations” plastered on the side, curiosity finally led me to stop by and see what goes on there. I’ve heard of STN in the past, but I didn’t really know what they were about, and so everything I
learned that day left me hungry to be more involved.
It was settled that I’d spend every Tuesday and Thursday of the rest of my summer with the kids of the Ulu Pono program. From beach days surfing at Ali’i's, to teaching the kids about photography, really inspired me to be someone with a purpose in life. Purpose, as in understanding the true meaning of happiness and what makes you feel good inside.
What moved me the most was that for the first time in my life, I felt like someone needed me – rather than me always feeling like I needed someone. I felt like the kids needed me to be an older sister to them, a friend they could play with, someone they could laugh with and get attention from. Every Tuesday and Thursday was never a question in my head as to where I’d be, because I never wanted to let them down.
The struggles that I learned about each kid in the Ulu Pono program made me feel grateful for the life I have been given. I also felt that I had to share a greater part of myself with them so they’d have something positive in their lives. All the while, I was building relationships with people I knew would last a lifetime. Through my experiences with Ulu Pono, I was also very inspired by all the STN workers there who basically dedicate their lives to helping people: it’s amazing to see the power that they are spreading throughout the community of Wahiawa.
One STN worker that I grew really close to, Emily Jones “EmJ”, inspired me the most. She helped me see the purpose behind me coming to Surfing The Nations. She got to know my personal hardships and encouraged me in all sorts of ways and helped me to realize how grateful I can be for what I have. The love I got to see her and the Ulu Pono team providing for the local kids that live around their neighborhood showed me that I too can be motivating and inspiring to other people if you just simply show love.
