Thursday, September 3, 2026
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center, 1922 Makiki Street, Honolulu, HI 96822
$100 per person
Scholarships available! Please inquire here.
To register using a school purchase order, please contact us directly at pdc@hanahauoli.org. Mahalo!
Democratizing school life is a powerful way to prepare children for active participation in democracy. By implementing a student government model that closely reflects our real life processes, children learn powerful lessons about civics, responsibility, and their own sense of agency in their school and world. In this workshop, we will explore how Hanahau‘oli School launched a student government program in the elementary setting, and what outcomes (both planned and unplanned) were experienced by the entire school community.
Participants in this workshop will hear directly from Hanahau’oli School students who were elected into the student council the previous year. The council members will share their reflections, work accomplished, and helpful ideas for teachers interested in getting a student government started at their own institution.
At the workshop’s conclusion, participants will have time to network, dialogue, and think together about the role that student government curriculum and programs can play in their diverse school settings.
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
Participants will:
Learn about the process that Hanahau’oli School implemented to create its student government
Begin to plan and implement a structure for a student government at their own schools
Be given tools and resources to start their own student governments
Learn about the philosophy and rationale behind creating a student government
WORKSHOP AGENDA
8:30 am: Welcome, Opening Discussion &Introductions
9:00 am: Presentation
Why student government? Connections to progressive education
Launching a student government program at Hanahau’oli
10:00 am: break
10:15: Presentation, Questions and Dialogue with Hanahau’oli School students
11:15 am: break
11:30 am - Reflection and Dialogue – what is the role that student government curriculum and programs can play in your diverse school setting?
12:30 Pau
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
ʻO Gabrielle Ahuliʻi Ferreira Holt ke kahu puke ma ke kula o Hanahauʻoli, ma Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. He MLIS kona mai ke kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa, a he BFA kona mai ke kulanui o British Columbia (ma ka ʻāina ʻōiwi no na poʻe xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh).
Gabrielle Ahuliʻi Ferreira Holt is the librarian at Hanahauʻoli School in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She has a MLIS from the University of Hawaiʻi and a BFA from the University of British Columbia (situated on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm [Musqueam], Skwxwú7mesh [Squamish], Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh [Tsleil- Waututh] nations.) She is a third-generation graduate of Hanahauʻoli.
THIS WORKSHOP IS INTENDED FOR
This workshop is designed using the elementary school setting as the example, but the methods, strategies, outcomes, and rationale can be scaled up to meet high school level students as well.