HCAP Weekly August 25, 2014

In this week’s issue:

HCAP Hires New Staff at the Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center
Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program Receives Grant from Friends of Hawaii Robotics
HCAP Programs Learn Together to Help the Community
Residents at the Waianae Civic Center Join Na Lima Hana- Employment Core Services Program
HCAP Participates in 2014 Foodland Give Aloha Campaign
Welcome to our newest staff members!

HCAP Hires New Staff at the Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center

HCAP is pleased to announce that Shanell Smith, MA has joined the agency as a Case Manager at the Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center. The Case Manager connects Kumuhonua residents with available community resources, assists residents with self-development, goal planning and achieving self-sufficiency, and develops and maintains inter-agency relationships. Shanell has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and recently obtained a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Argosy University. She has also worked in the nonprofit sector as an Employment Counselor at Goodwill Industries of Hawaii and as a Youth Counselor at Hale Kipa.

We are so happy to have Shanell join the HCAP ohana!

Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program Receives Grant from Friends of Hawaii Robotics

HCAP and the Hā Initiative would like to thank Friends of Hawaii Robotics for awarding the program a grant for the 2014 FIRST LEGO League Season. The funds will be used to register 4 teams to participate in the 2014 LEGO Robotics Season, which will begin this fall.

Students and teachers at HCAP’s STEM Exploration Centers are looking forward to and gearing up for the new season, as they build upon the success of last year.

HCAP Programs Learn Together to Help the Community

A collaboration of Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) workers, STEM teachers, and the Hā Initiative program manager, Michelle has created some exciting opportunities for learning in the Leeward and Kalihi STEM Exploration centers. SCSEP workers Finipa and Harriett recently signed up for their first email accounts. The ability to email each other, other SCSEP participants, and the STEM program manager has become a weekly routine that brings a new joy and excitement to these cherished center participants. With weekly guidance and monitoring from Michelle and Charles (Leeward STEM teacher), they are learning computer basics, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel. Beyond mousercise and online mahjong, our devoted SCSEP participants have not had many experiences with computers. They have discovered so may more things to do with technology, but especially like emailing new websites and resources to each other. Looking forward, as they practice their newfound skills, they will create documents to track homework and reading progress for participants, log curriculum and STEM resources, and track attendance for the STEM Exploration Center. We are proud of our SCSEP program participants and applaud them for making the leap into the age of technology.

Residents at the Waianae Civic Center Join Na Lima Hana- Employment Core Services Program

Leeward District Service Center staff presented the Na Lima Hana- Employment Core Services program to participants at the Waianae Civic Center. The Waianae Civic Center is a homeless shelter in Waianae, housing single individuals and families. Six individuals signed up to participate in the Employment Core Services program and will receive case management services as they work their way to obtaining employment.

HCAP Participates in 2014 Foodland Give Aloha Campaign

Welcome to our newest staff members!

Shanell Smith – Kumuhonua Case Manager

Nara Uli – Kumuhonua Program Aide