HCAP Weekly July 31, 2017

In this week’s issue:

HCAP April – June 2017 Quarterly Newsletter
HCAP Head Start Family Advocates Welcome Families During Parent Orientation
SCSEP Participant Finds a Stepping Stone in Work Placement
Na Lima Hana Participant Finds Full-Time Employment as a Driver
STEM Students Make Their Own Ice Cream
HCAP Head Start Accepting Applications for the 2017-2018 School Year

HCAP April – June 2017 Quarterly Newsletter

We’re excited to share the April – June 2017 issue of Ku`i Na Lono: Spread the News.

Featuring these stories and more:
• Hā Initiative Holds Family Nights in May
• Former Kumuhonua Resident Finds Faith, Community, and Employment During Stay
• HCAP Youth Services Class of 2017 Celebrate at Graduation

View the April – June 2017 Quarterly here.

View past Quarterly Newsletters here.

HCAP Head Start Family Advocates Welcome Families During Parent Orientation

The new school year has arrived, and for HCAP Head Start staff, that means meeting with families and taking the time to get to know them and their children. Family Advocates Lavene Zitszelsberger, Raven Tavares and Kuulei Pili helped kick off Parent Orientation for Cluster 5 classrooms. Parent Orientation provides families the opportunity to see the classroom and meet the teachers and Head Start program staff. Creating and sustaining partnerships with families to support them in their roles as primary educators and nurturers for their children is one of the primary goals of HCAP Head Start. During Parent Orientation, families also get to learn more about the resources and services Head Start provides, receive information specific to their children’s classrooms, and network with other parents.

SCSEP Participant Finds a Stepping Stone in Work Placement

Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Ross had painted cars for a living. But he had to give that up because the chemicals were having a negative effect on his health.

When he moved to Hawaii, the transition was rough. For a temporary period of time, Ross and his 11 year old son moved to the family shelter at the Institute for Human Services (IHS). During his stay at IHS, Ross expressed interest in obtaining employment at IHS; an IHS personnel referred Ross to HCAP’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). Upon completing intake and assessment, SCSEP assigned Ross a custodial assignment at IHS.

Once Ross was in his SCSEP placement, things started looking up. Ross found a two-bedroom apartment for him and his son. His son has been improving in school, now that permanent housing has been found. Ross loves his job and enjoys the company of the staff at the shelter. He intends to leverage his SCSEP placement and find another custodial position once his SCSEP placement is up.

Na Lima Hana Participant Finds Full-Time Employment as a Driver

Yowanes first heard about the Na Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) Program through a friend, who was a former ECS participant. Upon word of mouth, Yowanes quickly enrolled in the ECS Program at the Leahi District Service Center. Through the program, Yowanes received pre-employment training, updated his resume, and brushed up on his computer skills. Yowanes also received a monthly bus pass to assist him on his job search. Shortly after completion of the ECS Program, Yowanes secured employment as a full-time driver for HiEmployment, a staffing agency that assists individuals looking for temporary and part/full- time employment.

STEM Students Make Their Own Ice Cream

This week at the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program’s STEM Exploration Centers, students participated in an end of Summer Session “Ice Cream Bash”. Rather than hosting a typical ice cream sundae party, the STEM classes made their own ice cream from scratch using basic chemical reactions and temperature change. The students learned that while ice melts in the sun, salt can also melt ice. The properties of salt allow it to be used as a solute to melt ice on icy roads in cold regions during winter. When salt is applied to the ice, it begins to dissolve and lowers the freezing point at which water freezes, creating a phenomenon known as, “freezing point depressions”.

In order to make their own ice cream, the students were required to assemble two plastic bags, each filled with different substances. In the larger gallon bag, they added ice and applied salt to the top. In the smaller quart sized bag, the students added a milk, sugar, and vanilla flavoring mixture. The quart-sized bag was then zipped up and placed inside the gallon bag on top of the ice and salt mixture. Once both bags were assembled and sealed, they were told to shake their bags until the milk mixture had condensed. The end result was delicious vanilla ice cream in a bag! After the experiment, the students were allowed to make their own ice cream sundaes. Overall, the experiment proved to be a very fun, interactive, and educational lesson for the students. The students had a great time at the STEM Exploration Centers during the summer, and are looking forward to the start of the new school year.

HCAP Head Start Accepting Applications for the 2017-2018 School Year

Are you or someone you know in need of comprehensive early childhood education? Spread the word! HCAP Head Start is now accepting applications for children 3-5 years for the 2017-2018 school year. Families are encouraged to apply by calling (808) 847-2400 or visiting our website.