HCAP WEEKLY November 29, 2021

HCAP Selects New Head Start Assistant Director

The Honolulu Community Action Program, Inc. (HCAP) is pleased to announce that Adoniss Spencer has been named its newest Head Start Assistant Director. The Head Start Assistant Director assists in the planning, development, and evaluation of all HCAP Head Start components, as well as overseeing program quality assurance and support services. HCAP Head Start consists of the Head Start preschool program for children 3 to 5 years old and the Early Head Start program for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. 

Adoniss is from Oʻahu and a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, but has been based in Virginia since 2013, working in various early childhood education settings. Since 2018, Adoniss has been a Site Supervisor for The Children’s Center, a nonprofit agency providing Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Virginia’s Western Tidewater area.

Adoniss holds a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Ashford University and a Master of Education in Administration & Supervision from Liberty University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Liberty University.  

Grant Kogami, HCAP Head Start Director, states, “Adoniss comes to us with a passion for what we do at HCAP Head Start & Early Head Start, and is excited to be able to make a difference in the lives of the children and families of her home state. Her background and experience will undoubtedly add to and strengthen our program and agency operations moving forward.”

Click Here to learn more about HCAP Head Start & Early Head Start.

Hā Initiative Students Try Pepper’s Ghost Illusion to Create Holograms

This week in the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program, students used physics and math concepts to learn how angles and light can create a virtual image with “Pepper’s Ghost Illusion.” In this activity, a 3D illusion is recreated using a reflected image on a digital screen display. Students placed transparent screens at a 45 degree angle to create depth and the illusion of a hologram using their cell phones and iPads in the classroom, then took their projects home to share with their families and create their own “holograms.”

For more information about the Hā Initiative, Click Here.

Tuition Assistance Helps Mother of Three Find Her Career Calling

When Rhea was laid off from her job due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided it was time to pursue her interest in joining the healthcare field. She contacted HCAP’s Central District Service Center in July 2020 seeking tuition assistance to obtain a Nurse Assistant certification from HCAP partner Professional Healthcare Educators.

HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program provided Rhea with tuition assistance to enroll in the vocational program, and in September 2020 she completed her certificate and began her job search. Rhea kept in contact with Nā Lima Hana staff throughout her search for employment, and with the holiday season approaching, HCAP was also able to assist her family with providing holiday gifts for her three children. 

By the end of 2020, Rhea had secured employment as a Nurse Assistant, and soon surpassed her milestone goal of 180 days on the job. In a recent follow up with Central District staff, Rhea reflected on her experience with HCAP: “Now I am capable of sustaining the needs of my family,” she said, “Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your outreach, and I hope that there are other people like me who will experience the same.” 

Click Here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services.

Windward District Partners with Hina Mauka’s Offender Reentry Program

This week, staff from Hina Mauka’s Honolulu County Offender Reentry Program toured HCAP’s Windward District Service Center. Hina Mauka is a Kāneʻohe-based organization providing addiction recovery and behavioral health services. 

Sonny Preston, Windward District Service Center Manager, has been working with Hina Mauka on a partnership opportunity to provide HCAP’s employment services to Offender Reentry Program participants. Hina Mauka’s participants often have difficulties securing employment after completing the residential program. 

“One of the challenges Hina Mauka faces when referring their clients for employment is finding employers who are willing to take individuals with criminal records,” Sonny shared. Individuals exiting the residential program will now have more acces to resources, including HCAP’s range of services and community relationships, with the goal of successful job placement for those facing barriers to employment.