ʻŌlino Summer Program Inspires Young Filmmakers from Liliʻuokalani Trust

In June, teen filmmakers from Liliʻuokalani Trust created professional music videos, as part of the ʻŌlino Summer Program. The specialty camp for youth ages 11-17, offered pathways in sports, performing arts, and creative media and was held over three weeks in the Salvation Army Kroc Center in ʻEwa Beach, Oʻahu. 

The Creative Media Pathway comes as more youth in Hawaiʻi engage in social media and content creation. “Media has become a dominating force on many fronts, only to have its consumption rate boosted by the pandemic,” says Sam Guerrero, Program Coordinator for ʻŌlino Pathways. “This program sought to build a bridge for ʻōpio (youth) between the media they consume and their potential career paths.”

Guerrero, who led and organized the Creative Media Pathway, invited partners from across the pae ʻāina (Islands) to mentor the youth and collaborate on projects. The partners included ʻŌlelo Community Media, a Hawaiʻi non-profit group whose myriad services include television stations and video-production classes for students; Hawaiʻi Women in Filmmaking, a nonprofit that instructs women and girls in video production and film; and IZIK, a Honolulu-based songwriter, singer, and music producer.

Also invited were the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival’s Jen May Pastores, and filmmakers Ciara Lacy and Pākē Salmon, who lent their expertise and real-life experiences.

Learning from these industry professionals inspired the youth to instill Hawaiian values in their words and actions. Values, such as ʻImi Naʻauao (knowledge); Poʻokela (excellence in their quality of work); and Wiwoʻole (having the courage to adapt to new concepts and skills), for example.

Guerrero and the media partners were impressed by the youth’s development over three weeks — not only in video production skills but also in personal growth. The teens were laser-focused on their work and gracious toward one another, collaborating toward common goals.

“Whether it was silly practice videos or working together to put a pitch together for IZIK, it was always encouraging to see them work together as a team,” he says. 

Their primary project was a music video, featuring the song Re-Creation, written and produced by IZIK. He spent time with the youth, describing the song’s moʻolelo (story), an allegory for Mauna Kea. Knowing the song’s backstory, the youth felt inspired to produce a video celebrating the ʻāina.

Not all their camp experience was behind a camera lens. The group joined other campers from the ‘Ōlino Program’s sports and arts pathways to visit Nā Mea Kūpono, a learning center in Waialua. There, they worked in loʻi kalo patches, challenged one another to Makahiki games, and created hū (spinning tops) out of kukui nuts, among other Hawaiian cultural activities.

The ʻŌlino Summer Program, which provided many opportunities for youth, aligns with the mission of the Trust. Queen Liliʻuokalani established the Trust in 1909 to benefit orphan and destitute children, with a preference for Native Hawaiians. “The ʻŌlino Summer Program is just one of many avenues toward thriving Hawaiian children,” Guerrero says.

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