April 23, 2025
Honolulu, HI – Three-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning artist, Paula Fuga, visited Pearl Harbor Elementary School on April 17 to congratulate the winners of the Lōkahi: The Ukulele Collective (Lōkahi) Ho'olōkahi Lyrics Writing Challenge. This musical experience of a lifetime was the culmination of the students’ hard work, and a challenge that engaged hundreds of students in schools across O'ahu, Maui, Kaua'i and Hawai'i Island through ukulele and songwriting.
Pearl Harbor Elementary emerged as the challenge’s grand prize winner — complementing Lōkahi’s song with their own verse of original lyrics. The school welcomed Fuga, along with representatives from the Hawai'i Department of Education and students showcased their musical skills in performance.
"Today I got to experience something truly magical,” said Fuga. “The students not only wrote their own beautiful lyrics, but performed them with heart and passion. Music is a powerful way to express our stories and feelings, and seeing these keiki embrace songwriting at such a young age fills me with joy and hope for the future of music in Hawai'i."
During her visit, Fuga shared insights into her own songwriting process before she performed with the students. Under the guidance of Dustin Chang, music teacher at Pearl Harbor Elementary School, the students had prepared diligently for their performance and refined their ukulele skills, lyrics and singing.
The Ho'olōkahi Lyrics Writing Challenge, which concluded on March 15, has successfully integrated music education into classrooms across Hawai'i. The initiative, supported by Jack Johnson and the Johnson 'Ohana Foundation, represents Lōkahi’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to quality music education statewide.
"Paula and Jack jumped at the opportunity to support the Ho'olōkahi Lyrics Writing Challenge,” said Mark Fukunaga, Executive Chairman of Servco Pacific Inc., one of the program’s sponsors. “Their passion and expertise have already inspired students to create their own lyrics and hone their writing skills through music."
On May 3, Pearl Harbor Elementary School and other participating local schools will showcase their musical talents at a Ho'olōkahi Play Along event at the Ala Moana Center’s centerstage from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. This in-person celebration will bring together students and families for an afternoon of collaborative music-making, allowing them to share their creativity and newly developed skills with the wider community. All are invited to attend the free event.
Keith Hayashi, superintendent of the Hawai'i State Department of Education, emphasized, "This exciting partnership reflects our commitment to providing students with a well-rounded education that nurtures both academic and creative growth. Engaging in music and the arts offers students a powerful outlet for self-expression while also building essential cognitive skills such as memory, attention span, and logical reasoning."
Schools interested in participating in next year's challenge can learn more by visiting lokahi.podia.com or by following @lokahiukulele on Instagram.
About Lōkahi: The Ukulele Collective
Lōkahi: The Ukulele Collective is a 501(c)(3) non-profit effort bringing together passionate individuals from schools, the music industry, nonprofits, and the broader community to transform music education. Lōkahi gives all students, no matter their circumstances, access to a high-quality music education rooted in cultural identity.
About Paula Fuga
Acclaimed for her originality in song composition and spellbinding, soulful vocals, Paula Fuga is one of Hawai’i's top female musicians in generations. A poet at heart and an accomplished ukulele player under Master Instructor, Roy Sakuma, she has intertwined her passions into award-winning songwriting. Her debut album, Lilikoi lauded the prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for ‘Most Promising Artist.’ Since the release of her EP Misery’s End, which featured guest appearances by Ziggy Marley and Jack Johnson, Fuga has headlined the global music circuit and performed on the stages of Madison Square Garden, The Sydney Opera House Forecourt and is a three-time return guest artist to The White House. Today, with a global fanbase and thriving music career, Fuga’s music is dedicated to inspiring positive social change - rooted in perseverance and hope. She is fiercely committed to permeating the world with the evocative voice of the Hawai’ian people.
About the Hawai'i State Department of Education
The Hawai'i State Department of Education's (HIDOE) Fine Arts Program provides a comprehensive arts education in visual arts, media arts, music, theater, and dance. Through engaging curricula and enriching opportunities students explore their talents, deepen their appreciation for the arts, and connect with Hawai'i's rich cultural heritage and diverse traditions. A study by the Arts Education Partnership found that students engaged in arts learning demonstrated improved academic performance, including higher test scores and increased graduation rates. This March, HIDOE proudly announced the inaugural Fine Arts in Our Schools Month, celebrating visual and performing arts in public schools. This month-long event highlighted the artistic and musical talents of our students through exhibitions and performances.
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