Teachers visit the Honouliuli Internment site in West Oahu.

Teacher Workshop

“Looking Like the Enemy: The Case of Japanese Americans in World War II”
Roosevelt High School
October 8-10, 2009

The Go For Broke National Education Center, in partnership with the Japanese Cultural
Center of Hawaii, held its inaugural teacher training institute entitled "Looking Like the Enemy: Japanese Americans in World War II, on October 8-10, 2009 at Roosevelt High School.

The workshop brought together 21 teachers from Maui, Oahu and the Big Island to spend three intensive days studying the experiences of Japanese Americans in Hawaii during World War II.

Nisei Veterans Memorial Center board member David Fukuda gave a presentation on our Center's archive and educational initiatives, and our executive director, Gail Raikes, participated in the workshop.

Guest speakers included:

• Dennis Ogawa, Professor of American Studies, University of Hawaii- Manoa, on the history of the Japanese Americans in Hawaii
• Shari Tamashiro, cybrarian at Kapiolani Community College, shared the history of the 100th, 442nd, MIS and 1399
• General (Ret.) David Bramlett gave a presentation on the Hawaii Army Museum
• Brian Niiya, Director of Program Development, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, shared the organization's efforts to restore the Honouliuli internment site. He was joined by Alan Rosenfeld, Assistant Professor of History, University of Hawaii - West Oahu.

Teachers had an opportunity to review lesson plans developed by fellow-workshop participant Katrina Guerrero, Social Studies Teacher and Curriculum Specialist, Mililani High School. Katrina worked closely with Pam to align the Go for Broke National Education Center's curriculum to the Hawaii Curriculum and Performance Standards.

The highlight of the workshop was a bus trip out to the now-deserted Honouliuli Internment site, where workshop participants toured the area where the camp was originally built and explored the remaining structures and materials left from the WWII era.

Center board member, David Fukuda, stands at far left; in front of him is Pam Funai, Go for Broke National Education Center Regional Director. Center executive director, Gail Raikes, is seated in the front row, second from the left.