Michele Valenti:
CLASS OF 1985
Hoffman Estates High SchoolClass of 1985
Hoffman estates, IL
Dwight D. Eisenhower Junior High SchoolClass of 1981
Hoffman estates, IL
King Elementary SchoolClass of 1979
Akron, OH
Churchill SchoolClass of 1979
Hoffman estates, IL
Neil Armstrong Elementary SchoolClass of 1979
Hoffman estates, IL
Michele's Story
Life
Aloha,
I have been living on Kaua'i for half of my life now. I have a degree in Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. I am a teacher and have been teaching at Kaua'i High School for 9 years. I am the department head for the Fine Arts department. I teach Hawaiian language to all grade levels and Hawaiian history to freshmen. The language is so beautiful. I have been dancing for Kaua'i's foremost halau hula (hula school) for 10 years and I have performed for people from all over the world. Hula is not as easy as it looks, especially ancient hula. I have had many blessings in my life here in Hawai'i such as sailing on the famous voyaging canoe Hokule'a and surviving Hurricane 'Iniki. Most of my life on Kaua'i I have lived in Hanalei on the north shore. This is a famous hideaway for many famous people. My cousins were the caretakers for Sylvester Stallone's beach house and I use to stay there. Yeah! It was cool. When Harrison Ford and Ann Heche were here filming "7 Days and 6 Nights" I got to go to a casting party and it was unreal. Hanalei Bay IS the most beautiful beach in the world. Hanalei gets monster waves in the winter and it is so exciting to watch great surfers. The summers are the best. The waves are glassy and we have some 4 footers on occasion. Those are big enough for me. I am a bodyboarder. Let me tell you, when you are in the barrel of a wave it is awesome!!!! My husband and I built a home on his family's property in a prestine river valley. We were given 5 acres of land. We have a panoramic view of the mountains, river and ocean. I have been fortunate enough to travel around Hawai'i. I have lived in Waikiki for a short period of time. After Hurricane 'Iniki, I stayed at the famous 'Ilikai Hotel (Hawai'i 5-O)while Kaua'i was being rebuilt. For college I lived on Hawai'i Island and have seen Pele and her spectacular beauty. Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Kilauea are beautiful. This is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime to swim in a waterfall plunge pool and see the volcano. If any of you are ever in the neighborhood, drop by!
A hui hou! (Until we meet again!)
Aloooooooha!
School
After high school, I moved to Kaua'i. I started to attend Kaua'i Community College in 1987. I took a Hawaiian culture course. This interested me. I decided to get a degree in Hawaiian Studies. Little did I know it would take me on a journey of a lifetime. After many fulltime jobs, night school, and Hurricane 'Iniki, I graduated from KCC and went to the University of Hawai'i in Hilo, on the island of Hawai'i or the Big Island, as it is also known. What a life! I had the most respected Hawaiian language and cul...Expand for more
ture teachers in Hawai'i. I graduated with a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies. It was not an easy course and very few people make it out due to the intensity of the program in which you are immersed in the Hawaiian language. It was challenging because, outside of school, not too many people spoke the language. We were lucky that many of the older Hawaiian people were native speakers. All of the upper level courses were taught in Hawaiian. I had to learn how to play the 'ukulele and sing modern day songs as well as learn traditional and modern day hula and chanting. I write Hawaiian music and chants and have performed for many honored guests. I pass down these traditions to my students. Recently, a student of mine nominated me for the Who's Who book for American Teachers. She was a student for Hawaiian history and then for Hawaiian language her sophomore year. That very student won the Hawaiian Language award at the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival in Hilo. It is the superbowl of who's who in Hula! I have to say that I love the University of Hawai'i for giving me an excellent education. I also attended UH - Manoa, on O'ahu, for a summer school course. What a great campus! Not to mention the life at Waikiki! I hope someday to teach at one of the college campuses. I have had some opportunities on some of the other islands, but my family is here on Kaua'i and I love this island.
College
I started taking courses at Kaua'i Community College in 1987. I was preparing to go into business and accounting. However, I took a Hawaiian Culture class and it made me change my entire career plan. My teacher was Ilei Beniamina. She is from Ni'ihau. I learned so much about Hawai'i and it's history. I couldn't resist the overwhelming desire to learn the Hawaiian language which was beginning to flourish again due to the immersion schools. I worked full-time and took courses at night. After Hurrican 'Iniki, I graduated from KCC. I finally made the Dean's list that last semester. I then went off to the University of Hawai'i in Hilo to get a BA in Hawaiian Studies. The course was intense. All upper level courses are taught in Hawaiian language and I have never been so challenged in my life. I loved every moment I was there. Like KCC, I had many excellent teachers who inspired me, passed down there knowlegde and had a great impact on my life.
Workplace
I have been teaching at Kaua`i High School in Lihu`e, Kaua`i since 1997. I started working for the Deparment of Education in Hawai`i in 1996 in the elementary schools as a Hawaiian Studies teacher on a part-time basis. I have been the department head for the Fine Arts department for 3 years. I teach Hawaiian language and history.
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