HCAP WEEKLY January 13, 2025

HCAP Guides Client Through Comprehensive Services
Promoting School Readiness and Self-Sufficiency at Head Start
Windward STEM Students Engineer Chairs and Catapults
The Windward STEM Exploration Center continued to dive into the fascinating world of engineering and explored the many ways it shapes their everyday lives. Hā Initiative students completed two building challenges. One of the STEM challenges involved designing and building a functional chair using only paper, tape, and scissors.
Students explored engineering concepts such as structure, stability, and weight distribution while using creativity and problem-solving skills to construct a chair capable of supporting a small weight. This challenge encouraged teamwork, critical thinking, and hands-on experimentation.
During a subsequent lesson, students created a catapult, which is a lever – one of the six types of simple machines – using popsicle sticks, rubber bands, cups, and spoons. Once the catapults were constructed, students had a great time spending the rest of class on the cafeteria deck attempting to catapult paper balls into cups while practicing precision and accuracy.
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HCAP Guides Client Through Comprehensive Services
The Kalaeloa District Service Center received a call from HCAP staff member, Amber, who was reaching out to refer a single mother she had met at a job fair who was experiencing homelessness and recovering from domestic violence. Amber requested that the Kalaeloa District staff reach out to the woman, anonymously named SWK, to provide her with resources for employment and assistance with entering a shelter. She provided the woman’s contact information, which allowed Kalaeloa staff to immediately take action. In doing so, staff were able to hold a phone call with SWK to gather a little more information about her situation.
Kalaeloa District staff quickly reached out to several domestic violence shelters throughout O’ahu and within a few hours, were able to secure an assessment for SWK. Within two days of completing that assessment, SWK and her son were able to move into a shelter where they were provided a safe haven.
After she settled into the shelter, staff met with SWK in person to complete an intake for HCAP services, including the Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services program. SWK successfully completed Job Readiness Training and has continued to work with the HCAP Kalaeloa District along her journey. Kalaeloa staff also assisted SWK with signing up for SNAP and TANF benefits, which would allow her to gain food security and the finances to provide for both herself and her young child. Once she overcame that hurdle, she worked with staff and her case managers to find permanent housing.
Over the course of several months, staff helped SWK successfully secure permanent housing. She was able to receive rental assistance for up to 18 months, which allowed the necessary time to seek childcare options and complete applications for employment and schooling. Applications were completed for childcare, including for HCAP Head Start and the State Department of Human Services Child Care subsidy. Staff also helped SWK with obtaining different forms of financial aid for a degree program by reaching out to the American Job Center, where she could apply for tuition assistance, and in completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for Spring 2025.
SWK has stated that although this process has been a long and difficult journey, she is grateful for the first encounter that she made with Amber a year ago at the job fair. She realizes that it was not a coincidence that she stopped to have a conversation, which led to the relationship she has now built with the HCAP Kalaeloa District Center. Although her journey is not over yet, SWK states that she is optimistic about what’s to come and feels truly blessed for programs, such as HCAP, that have continued to support her through this process. The Kalaeloa District Center is so honored to work with those such as SWK, and it is a constant reminder of why HCAP maintains its commitment to working with families and individuals towards building resilience and self-reliance.
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Promoting School Readiness and Self-Sufficiency at Head Start
Throughout the programs, both Head Start & Early Head Start children are actively developing essential skills to increase their school readiness and self-sufficiency. From sorting translucent shapes, writing their name, feeding themselves at meal times, to playing a xylophone, their cognitive, gross motor, fine motor and social skills are fostered.
These skills assist with children’s ability to have coordination control of their limbs. With parent and family engagement through handwashing practices and creation of unique arts and crafts activities, children and families are having fun while creating core early childhood education memories.
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