Creating A Culturally Relevant School Wellness Environment For Native Hawaiian Youth

PURPOSE: Native Hawaiian (NH) youth experience significant disparities in academic performance, health, and social well-being. Additionally, they face greater health inequities. While several school-based interventions target healthier behaviors in youth, few incorporate NH cultural perspectives. This presentation addresses the need for culturally responsive programs in schools with high NH populations, focusing on how a multi-component intervention could enhance NH students' physical, social, and emotional health and wellbeing. METHODS: The I Paʻa Ka Huewai Pawehe project, grounded in the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model and the NH-focused Nā Hopena A'o framework, integrates NH principles into school environments to create holistic, culturally responsive health education. This presentation shares preliminary data from teachers and students on knowledge and behaviors in health and physical activity (PA), showcasing how Nā Hopena A'o principles can enrich the health and PE curriculum. Baseline data, collected across 11 schools, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative feedback, forming a foundation for program design. RESULTS: Preliminary findings reveal only 40% of students understand the importance of 60 minutes of daily PA, with 34% achieving this on 5+ days per week. Additionally, 55% of students reported over 3 hours of daily screen time outside school. Many expressed concerns around safety and a strong preference for more engaging, varied PE activities, as well as enhanced fitness resources. Students also desired more comprehensive health education, particularly around sexual and social/emotional health. Teachers highlighted a need for training and resources in health and PE, including trauma-informed, culturally relevant strategies specific to NH communities. CONCLUSIONS: There is a critical need to integrate culturally meaningful health and wellness practices across the school setting, particularly in NH-populated schools. This includes training teachers to effectively implement relevant, engaging health programming. Understanding current practices, baseline data, and strategic interventions is essential to fostering student health and well-being in NH communities. Supported by: This project is funded through the Native Hawaiian Education Fund, USDOE