Every morning on the island of Oahu, students at Pu’ öhala Elementary gather on a field as towering mountains watch them from the mist. Their day starts with songs in ‘ölelo Hawai’i, the islands’ native language, restating values of respect and justice that their teachers hope will guide them through their education, and throughout their lives.

Like most kids their age, they’re not concerned about the significance of the language they’re learning. Still, they have a weighty responsibility: to receive the torch (火炬) and ensure the security of ‘ölelo Hawai’ i for future generations.

It was only 50 years ago that the language was on the edge of extinction. Though the situation is much improved, in many ways ‘ölelo Hawai’ i is still on life support. Teachers say there’s a huge enthusiasm for school kids to learn the language, but as they grow up, they’re encouraged to focus on “more useful” subjects and use English, which are believed to assist them in achieving success in their work. In 2016, there were 18, 610 Hawaiian speakers on the islands.

“One hundred thousand is the approximate number of speakers needed to consider the language safe, ” says Solomon, professor of Hawaiian language at University of Hawai’i at Manoa. “The idea is that there are enough people passing it on to the next generation, socializing their children to use the language in all domains of life, to express all thoughts and needs and desires. ”

Fortunately, the kids of Pu’ öhala Elementary will take the responsibility to continue the work of the current young adults defending the language, expanding access to ‘ölelo Hawai’i in part through TikTok and Instagram, and making the language a practical skill in adulthood. These youth, along with those committed to recovering the language from previous generations, share their hopes for the better.

When I was 12 years old, we had a trip to France. I had never been out of the country before, so I was very excited. My aunt, my father and I went around with my father showing us all the unbelievable sites in Paris. None of us spoke much French but we loved the city.

We had taken the subway all over the city and were congratulating ourselves on our mastering what is honestly an excellent subway design that is pretty easy to follow. We decided to visit Versailles by train. We chatted happily along the way until my father realized we were far into the French countryside and no one around spoke English.

We reached the end of the line and felt afraid when everyone finally left the train. An old man and his grandchild noticed us and came to help. He spoke no English, so in broken French we tried to explain. When he finally understood, this great man settled his grandson and showed us to the correct train and then boarded with us.

Later we knew the truth that there was a train transfer (转乘) and he didn’t want us to miss it. This kind man rode a train for an hour and a half out of his way to make sure that three Americans got where they wanted to be. He refused to let us pay for his ticket. He did it all with a gentle smile and patted our hands gently at the stop. Then in his quiet way, he boarded the train to return the way he had come.

What impressed me most was the man and his kindness during the amazing trip. Some Americans think the French are rude for some reason, but I always try to persuade them to change their minds with this very story.

Amy, a senior design manager at Lego, now runs a team of 10 designers at Lego’s headquarters in Denmark. The company has been one of the world’s most popular toy-makers and last year saw its fastest sales growth in five years. The “dream job” in Denmark led to the opportunity to be a judge on a TV show in the US.

As a child growing up in a village near Glasgow, she never dreamed of being a fashion designer or a toy designer.

She was not a Lego fan as a child. “I played with Lego with my brother when we were kids,” she said. “When we were really little, we had the big box of bricks (积木). But as I got a little bit older, I fell out of Lego. I felt there wasn’t anything interesting for me.”

“It wasn’t until I joined the company that I really got back into it. But we take that into account and think how we can create Lego experiences for kids, adults, and everyone over the world, so that everyone can find something that is related to them. Every time I got a project, I would always change it to something fun, playful and creative. I always loved being creative and also really loved maths.”

And her advice to new Lego designers was to get building. “Creativity is the key and being hands-on with the bricks,” she said. “Whenever you can get ideas out, just do it. Whenever you can get your hands on the bricks, build, build, build.”

“And if you are picking your education, I think certainly pick something that is based on design. The more creative, the better and we are open to everyone.”