HCAP WEEKLY July 7, 2025

Head Start Summer Garden Adventures

This season, the little green thumbs at Head Start dove into the world of gardening, turning humble seeds into a feast of basil, sweet potatoes, and kale! The cherry on top? A young gardener and their dad teamed up to build a wooden planter box! In class, children played with soil, watered their plants, and even set up a pretend flower shop, becoming budding entrepreneurs selling blossoms to each other!

The gardening adventure then blossomed into lei-making festivities. The children crafted beautiful floral leis, learning about plants while celebrating cultural traditions. This hands-on experience didn’t just sprout early science skills and responsibility, it also grew their love for nature and community bonds!

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HCAP Windward District Staff Building Community Partnerships

Throughout the year, the Windward District Service Center (DSC) staff continuously worked on building valuable partnerships within the community. This allows them to refer clients to additional resources they may need along with HCAP services.

Staff had the opportunity to visit the Residential Youth Services and Empowerment (RYSE) Center to learn about the different services centered on houseless and at-risk youth. RYSE offers a number of services for youth ages 18-25, including shelter and housing, education and employment services, as well as a medical clinic focusing on behavioral health support.

RYSE Center’s 24/7 mobile outreach and diversion team can get to youth anywhere on the island. In addition to being a shelter for houseless youth, RYSE staff also assist with obtaining an education and GED, counseling, vital documents if needed, and a driver’s license. The shelter is also open to non-resident youth who need a temporary place to stay, eat meals, take a shower, and/or do laundry. As youths start aging out of the shelter, RYSE works to prepare them in finding housing so they will have somewhere to transition to.

“Prior to leaving, each youth can put their handprints and leave a message on the walls in the shelter, which is a great reminder for all who have succeeded,” stated RYSE staff member and counselor Malia.

The Windward DSC staff also had the opportunity to visit the YWCA – Kokokahi facility to learn about the different programs they offer. One key service is their Capital Readiness Program (CRP). Through CRP, interested women can receive support for starting and scaling their businesses. Support services include counseling, mentorship and other resources. Towards the end of the program, clients receive assistance in applying for funding from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI).

With many windward residents being challenged with securing and retaining housing, the Windward DSC staff attended an Early Eviction Mediation presentation held by the Mediation Center of the Pacific. Presenter Roberta shared vital information that could be useful for clients, both tenants and landlords, who may already be engaged in or preparing towards eviction. Early Eviction Mediation is a free program where a landlord and tenant facilitate with a mediator towards a solution that works for both parties, rather than pursuing eviction. This route allows the relationship between parties to be preserved, benefiting the landlord and allowing the tenant to stay housed. Mediation can increase greater housing stability, prevent homelessness, and financial resource awareness in the community.

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Hā Initiative 2025 Summer Sessions

Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program classes from across the island recently went on an exciting excursion to the movies to watch Elio. The outing was a fun and engaging way to relax and bond outside the classroom. Everyone enjoyed popcorn and good company as the students watched the story of Elio, a young boy who is unexpectedly transported across the galaxy and mistaken for the ambassador of Earth. The movie blended science fiction with themes of identity, courage, and discovery, making a memorable experience for the students.

Following the end of the movie, students completed a worksheet based on what they observed. One thing that STEM teachers wanted to highlight was Glordon’s character, which is based on the tardigrade, a tiny, eight-legged animal known for its ability to survive extreme conditions. Tardigrades are microscopic, live in harsh environments like mountaintops and outer space, and are found often in moss.

In addition to their first field trip of the summer, students from all STEM Exploration Centers joined their teachers online for virtual summer lessons. Before summer break began, STEM teachers sent each student home with a packet of worksheets and supplies to participate in the fun-filled activities either online with their STEM teachers or at home with their parents.  

The STEM program kicked off the summer session by learning about Albert Einstein and his fascinating theories! Next, students participated in an engineering Egg-Drop Challenge where they were tasked with designing a structure that would protect an egg when it was dropped from a certain height. They were allowed to use items in their STEM packet or other materials they found around the house.

During the design process, students used the virtual whiteboard tool to draw and share their creative plans for an egg drop challenge on Zoom. The class had a great time discussing their designs and even voted on which ones they thought would survive the fall.

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