HCAP WEEKLY August 10, 2026

First Day of School With Head Start Keiki

The first day of school is here, marking a big milestone for many Head Start families. As classes began last week, the children are experiencing many exciting ‘firsts’ such as their first time exploring their classroom and meeting new friends. The first day focuses on adjustment, exploring the environment, and learning basic daily routines rather than heavy academics. As they enjoy breakfast together and continue to explore their classrooms, the children begin their journey towards a school year full of learning and collaboration.

While the children settle in, Head Start’s dedicated staff are also supporting families through this big transition. Teachers warmly welcome each child, greet families, and take time to understand how the children are feeling at that moment. These early connections help form a strong, lasting partnership between home and school.  What may seem exciting for one could be overwhelming for another, and Head Start staff are committed to helping every child feel safe, supported, and confident. The first day of school is about so much more than the start of a new year; it’s about building self-confidence, routines, friendships, and a love of learning. HCAP is truly excited to welcome back the children and their families for another great school year at Head Start!

Click here to learn more about Head Start.

New High School Graduate Accomplishes First Step in Nursing Dream Through ECS

Recently graduating from high school, for as long as she could remember, Faith felt compelled to pursue a career in caregiving. It wasn’t merely a career path she was considering, but she felt a purpose to care for those in vulnerable situations.

However, Faith soon encountered the reality that with her passion alone, she still faced barriers to an education. Her dream of enrolling in the Basic Nurse Aide Program at Hawaii Medical College was delayed by financial barriers. The tuition costs felt like a major obstacle standing between her and her aspirations.

Despite these roadblocks, Faith continued forward, when Hawaii Medical College referred her to HCAP. During her intake process, the Kalihi-Palama District Service Center staff found Faith eligible for HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) program, which offers tuition assistance for vocational training.

Faith spoke passionately about her desire to provide high-quality, compassionate care to patients. She saw a nursing career as a way to build a stable future for her loved ones, while dedicating her life to the well-being of others. With HCAP’s support as the catalyst, Faith threw herself into her studies. The program was rigorous, but her goal was clear to earn her certification, secure a position as a Nursing Assistant, and eventually bridge into becoming a Registered Nurse.

This month, that vision became a reality. With immense pride, HCAP staff celebrate Faith as she officially completed her Nurse Aide certification. She has successfully navigated the first major milestone of her journey and is now actively seeking employment where she can finally pursue her goals. 

The healthcare community is about to gain a remarkable professional. HCAP congratulates Faith on her new journey and a bright future.

Click here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Hā Initiative Continues Robotics Teams’ Preparation for the LEGO League

Hā Initiative is proud to be sponsoring STEM robotics and is planning to have a couple teams compete in this season’s FIRST LEGO League tournaments. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a non-profit dedicated to advancing youth STEM education. Founded in 1989, FIRST creates and runs yearly robotics competitions for elementary, middle, aand high school students. In 1998, they partnered with LEGO to increase the accessibility and use of parts and hardware to schools and students.

The FIRST Lego League (FLL) Challenge program is a yearly competition held around the world with the goal of engaging students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in a hands-on and outcome-oriented way. Over the season, students design and build a LEGO SPIKE robot to achieve a number of objectives in 2 minute and 30 second blocks. Students are also tasked with explaining their robot and design choices to judges and finding a solution to a real-world problem based on the season’s theme, which changes every year.

This year, teams from Hā Initiative will be building, testing, creating, preparing, and presenting the work they completed for the FIRST LEGO League Challenge program at a regional event. If they perform well, they will have the opportunity to refine their work and progress to a state and possibly even a national competition. The teams will receive updated rules, instructions and kits containing LEGO bricks in August. From there, they need to build the models and create the course (often called a ‘board’ or ‘field’.) This will contain around 15 “missions” or tasks. Creating the models helps students understand and prioritize their objectives. 

It is up to each team of how they want to design, build, and program a robot to complete as many tasks within the time limit as possible. The process is extremely involved and requires communication and teamwork, both fundamentals of modern engineering. The students will need to take careful notes of their process to present their robot and solutions to a panel of judges who are all volunteers from STEM fields. This part of the competition can be nerve-wracking for students, but it can also be particularly valuable for building confidence in public speaking.

The last part of the competition, the Innovation Project, helps prepare students for real-world engineering. This season, they will research issues related to the world’s rainforests through speaking with experts to provide insight into their projects. Students will brainstorm an innovative solution to the problem, creating models, posters, and presentations to help explain their idea. They will also present this to experts, who will ask clarifying questions and help them evaluate their ideas.

Regional competitions usually involve around 20 teams from elementary and middle schools, helping students meet and collaborate with peers of different ages and backgrounds within their common interests. FLL provides an incredible opportunity for students interested in engineering to practice and improve their skills in a realistic, team-focused, and hands-on way. HCAP is proud to help provide the tools students need to prepare for and participate in these programs.

Click here to learn more about Hā Initiative.