HCAP WEEKLY February 16, 2026

Designing Engineering Systems with Head Start Keiki

Engineering through the use of tubes and tunnels was the curriculum focal point this week across HCAP Head Start classrooms. Children experimented with connecting, balancing and creating complex structures using a variety of materials. Through trial and error, they explored spatial relationships and basic engineering concepts like cause and effect while testing how objects would move through different openings. The children learned about the ways, both practical and playful, that tubes are used and reflected on how these incredible pathways show up in their daily lives.

The study provided rich opportunities for inquiry and making meaningful connections between classroom exploration and the world around them. A parent shared a wind tube allowing the children to explore the concepts of air, gravity and lift by placing scarves in the wind tube and observing the effects of airflow. These experiences built the children’s ability to make predictions, observe and problem solve while also strengthening a sense of understanding for the world around them.

Click here to learn more about Head Start.

Leeward ECS Clients Gain Employment After Life in a Transitional Shelter

Friends, Blake and Rashaan, who were seeking employment contacted HCAP’s Leeward District Service Center (DSC) after a referral by their case worker, Judson, for assistance in employment services. The two were living in a U.S VETS transitional shelter on the Leeward coast when they enrolled in HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) program. Both Blake and Rashaan are from the Midwestern region of the U.S. Having endured many obstacles, such as loss of employment to homelessness, they wanted to make a change and decided to move to Hawai’i.

Entering the ECS program, Blake and Rashaan completed an intake assessment and one-on-one job readiness training (JRT) at the Leeward DCS where they learned about the importance of job searching, job interview prep, and the importance of budgeting. During intake, they created an Individualized Service Plan of short-term and long-term goals they would like to accomplish while applying to jobs. Within a month, Blake and Rashaan were able to obtain full-time employment at a food establishment and a permanent living space – an apartment in Waianae. Now, all they needed to obtain was a reliable transportation source, work attire, and shoes to begin employment.

After Leeward DSC staff received verification of employment from their employer, the needed work materials were purchased for them, along with a two-month’s fare Holo Card. Blake expressed greater aspirations of working in the medical field, to which his HCAP Community Services Specialist recommended tuition assistance offered by ECS. Blake enrolled into Hawaii Medical College to obtain his Advanced Nurse Aide certificate and is in the process of applying for tuition assistance with HCAP to be able to afford his classes.

Both Blake and Rashaan have been very appreciative of the support services they receive and expressed how they would like HCAP to continue providing the same support services to others in the community. HCAP’s Leeward District Center is incredibly happy to have made a difference in assisting the two in achieving their goals.

Click here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Kalihi STEM

At Kalihi Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program, STEM students explored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, commemorated on January 20th, they learned how his life’s work connects history, civic engagement, and the ongoing pursuit of justice. Students watched and analyzed key portions of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, where he spoke about equality, freedom, and the belief that people should be judged “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” and how “all people are created equal.”

Students discussed how Dr. King emphasized peaceful action and unity, saying, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and how he believed change could happen through nonviolence, courage, and cooperation. They learned about Dr. King’s accomplishments during his career, including his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement and so much more. Students also learned about Dr. King’s connections to Hawaiʻi and how his message reached communities far beyond the mainland United States.

To make the lesson meaningful and personal, students reflected on how the struggles Dr. King spoke about still affect many communities today. They discussed his belief that “the time is always right to do what is right” and how young people can stand up for fairness in their own schools and communities. Students were then invited to reflect on their own dreams for the future, inspired by Dr. King’s words, sharing their dreams aloud with classmates and writing them down. This activity encouraged self-expression, empathy, and confidence, helping students see that their voices, ideas, and dreams matter, just as Dr. King believed.

Click here to learn more about Hā Initiative.