HCAP WEEKLY August 5, 2024

Head Start & Early Head Start – Transition Workshops

Annually, HCAP Head Start & Early Head Start staff conduct Transition to Head Start & Early Head Start workshops for prospective families and children. These workshops occur at classrooms and school cafeterias across the island. A week prior to the start of the school year, staff provides families with a comprehensive overview of the program, an opportunity to meet with program staff, and participate in a family engagement activity.

The purpose of the transition workshops is to support the children, families and staff in creating a solid foundation for positive transitions, secure relationships and academic success. The collaborative effort from all Head Start & Early Head Start staff contribute to the workshops continued success and children’s overall excitement for school!

Click here to learn more about HCAP Head Start and Early Head Start.

Leahi ECS Client Finds Employment after Hahoko

Kealii was introduced to HCAP through one of the Leahi District Service Center’s monthly meetings with He Ala O Ke Ola, Inc. (Hahoko), a community reintegration home and HCAP partner. HCAP’s Leahi District Service Center and Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) conduct monthly in-services onsite, where intakes as well as job readiness training is completed. When Kealii learned about ECS, he became interested and took this opportunity to set his goals in motion.

HCAP’s ECS program assisted Kealii with creating an Individual Service Plan (ISP), writing a resume, and job searching. They also provided him with a HOLO card for transportation to assist in finding employment opportunities throughout the island. These resources enabled him to obtain a temporary job through Source It at a Lūʻau where he assists with event setup and food serving.

Kealii is also taking courses to earn his General Education Development (GED) certificate. He received assistance from the Leahi District staff in entering a GED program and will have his GED exam fees paid for by the ECS program. The HOLO card provided by ECS also allows him to attend his classes without worrying about transportation. This is just the beginning of Kealii’s journey to success with the support of knowledgeable and caring staff at HCAP.

Click here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Hā Initiative Welcomes Students Back from Summer Break

This week at Kalihi Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program, students returned from summer break and began their first day of school. While many students expressed that they needed to readjust to a learning mindset, they excitedly showed up for the STEM after-school program, and some reconnected with their peers who attended the program last school year. The first few days of the program included meeting new students and teachers, answering fun icebreaker questions and riddles, and playing games.

Substitute teacher, Gina, led an engineering and math game to a group of students, which required them to build an intricate marble roller coaster using stackable blocks. Another group of students practiced their precision and accuracy – terms they learned last school year during one of their physics lessons by playing a tic-tac-toe basketball game, using a catapult to launch mini basketballs.

Students concluded their second day of school with a “Mindfulness” session, where they decorated their own mason jars with acrylic paint and glitter and reflected on things that they were grateful for. Fifth grader, Marciann, painted a flower bouquet and butterflies on her jar, while her friend Elaiza opted for a colorful abstract painting. After each student in class jotted down a few things they were thankful for, they folded their papers up into tiny pieces, placed it in the jar, and are eager to fill their jar up with daily notes of thankfulness.

Click here to learn more about Hā Initiative.