Tuesday was an exciting day for our state as we all learned of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in its en banc review of the John Doe v. Kamehameha Schools appeal. The elation we felt at Kamehameha stemmed from a collective sense of profound gratitude. First to Ke Akua for His spirit and guidance; to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and our kupuna for their wisdom and example; to all with us today for the strength and energy shared to holo mua (move forward) despite setbacks and obstacles, and to the generations to follow, for they are our inspiration.

It is impossible to express how it has felt over the past 3 1/2 years to know that virtually our entire community — the community of Hawai'i — has been pulling for Kamehameha Schools. Through the peaks and valleys along the way, the support of the people of Hawai'i has never wavered. The people of this land "get it." They understand what Kamehameha is about and why this precious gift from our princess and the Kamehameha family line needs to serve Hawai'i's native people first as long as they have such dire and pressing needs.

Throughout this case, the challenge has been to help those on the Mainland appreciate the history and context behind our school. The ruling helps those who are not kama'aina see our school from the proper perspective: as a privately funded school founded during a time of Hawaiian sovereignty to remedy a specific harm to the indigenous people of Hawai'i, and whose laudable mission has been recognized repeatedly by the Congress of the United States. All 15 judges on the en banc panel recognized our unique history and circumstances; all 15 affirmed the validity of our mission; all 15 acknowledged the severe socioeconomic disadvantages our people continue to suffer and the good work that Kamehameha is doing in this area. And the majority agreed that our policy is a permissible way to remedy those disadvantages.

The ruling is important because our ability to offer preference is critical to the fulfillment of Kamehameha's mission. But even more important is what we are doing to bring to fruition the full value and promise of Pauahi's vision, not just for the Native Hawaiian people we serve directly, but for the overall strength of the broader community in which we exist.

In June 2005, our trustees approved an Educational Strategic Plan that has already helped us increase the number of Hawaiians we serve by 26 percent. By 2015, we intend to have increased our "reach" by 150 percent.

We understand that to have a lasting impact on the tens of thousands of school-aged Hawaiian keiki in Hawai'i, we must begin at birth and our services must involve the entire family.

Our kamali'i (babies), our keiki (children) our kupuna (elders) — all of our families — learn best together. The earlier we start to teach children in ways that link them to our culture, the stronger they become in all parts of their lives, including achievement in school.

When we include parents and caregivers in this process, we make sure that learning is nurtured. When families come together around their children, they become stronger and so do their communities. And when children are raised to value education and learning, they, in turn, teach their children the same values. Over time, Hawaiians will rise to the top of the positive social indicators and slide to the bottom of the negative ones.

And when thousands of young Hawaiian families are thriving, so does Hawai'i nei.

It is impossible to completely insulate ourselves against assaults from those who refuse to understand our history and our purpose. The plaintiff's attorney has vowed to appeal our court victory. We believe we can and will present a strong case against an appeal, and we will devote whatever resources it takes to protect our policy.

The appeals opinion in our favor renews our faith and confidence that America's legal system respects and validates something so unique and special to Hawai'i and inspires us to stay the course — for Hawaiians and for Hawai'i.

MOVING FORWARD

Highlights of progress under Kamehameha's Educational Strategic Plan include: