State of Hawaii Office of the Lt. Governor
10/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2025 14:09
HAWAIʻI STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS SPREAD DIGITAL ALOHA YEAR-ROUND
HAWAIʻI STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS SPREAD DIGITAL ALOHA YEAR-ROUND
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke continues to share the message of online respect and responsibility beyond Digital Aloha Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2025
HONOLULU - With September's Digital Aloha Month coming to a close, Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke visited students across the state - from Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island to Waimea on Kauaʻi - to share the message of respect, responsibility, and kindness online. Although the month may have ended, the message of digital aloha remains relevant year-round.
While serving as acting governor, Lt. Gov. Luke proclaimed September 2025 as Digital Aloha Month, a statewide initiative to promote safe and responsible online behavior. Together with student Digital Aloha Ambassadors, she continues to share and strengthen that message throughout the year.
"I proclaimed September as Digital Aloha Month, but that doesn't mean as soon as September ends, we should stop using the internet in a way that's respectful," said Lt. Gov. Luke. "We need to continue to have digital aloha, we need to practice digital aloha. And own our impact, own our words, and ensure that we continue to use the internet in a way that will help us, and not as a way to hurt and mistreat others."
The campaign advances Connect Kākou's digital know-how pillar, which emphasizes digital literacy, online safety, and mindful technology use. The initiative's other two pillars are infrastructure, focused on expanding high-speed connections to every community, and devices, which ensure access to the laptops, phones, tablets, and other tools needed to get online.
During her visits, Lt. Gov. Luke spoke with social studies students at Waimea Middle School and leadership students at Waimea Canyon Middle School about the five principles of Digital Aloha: act with aloha, listen to yourself, own your impact, help when you see harm, and all in this together. Other Digital Aloha Ambassadors also include students from the Hawaiʻi State Student Council and Hawaiʻi State Youth Commission.
Students and educators reflected on how these principles connect with their daily lives.
"Something that inspired me today was just knowing how you could use the internet wisely - how you could make people feel good, and feel bad at the same time," said Braylee Hoʻokano, a student at Waimea Canyon Middle School.
"The main thing I noticed with students today is that their in-person life is totally connected to their social media life - there's no real separation," said Luke Ferda, a leadership teacher at Waimea Canyon Middle School. "The same way that you act in person, with aloha, you should be acting that way online, in social media or whatever you're doing online."
Digital Aloha is Hawaiʻi's ongoing call to action to practice aloha online - to show kindness, empathy, and responsibility in digital spaces. Students and residents are encouraged to continue living with digital aloha every day.
For more information, visit connectkakou.org.
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RESOURCES
Courtesy Office of the Lt. Governor
Link to Waimea Canyon Middle School VNR
Link to School Visit Photos
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