HCAP WEEKLY June 7, 2021

HCAP Head Start Assistant Teacher Reflects on Pandemic and 10 Years in the Classroom

HCAP Head Start returned to in-person learning last month just as Jefferson Pre-Plus Assistant Teacher Denise celebrated ten years on the job. As a mother and grandmother who has spent her career in various early childhood education roles throughout the years, working with the keiki of HCAP Head Start has brought Denise joy and fulfillment throughout the last decade.

Denise, her fellow Head Start teaching staff, and the families they serve, were faced with an unprecedented challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Shifting from the classroom to distance learning was a significant adjustment for all, but teachers and families were able to work together over the course of the year to make it a success.

When it was announced that classrooms were able to reopen with health and safety precautions in place, Head Start staff made efforts to prepare students for the return to school in a “new normal.” One of the biggest changes to the classroom would be the use of face masks. Denise shared that leading up to the reopening, Head Start teachers started wearing face masks while on Zoom with their students. “The kids were not used to seeing our faces covered, so we wanted to get them ready to come back to school where we would all be wearing our masks,” she said. Group Zoom lessons were also integrated into the Head Start distance learning routine to help the keiki transition from one-on-one lessons at home to being around classmates again.

HCAP Head Start students and staff have done an amazing job in the past year and they are all excited to see their teachers and friends back at school each week! Watch our new video below to spend a morning with HCAP Head Start:

Applications are open for the 2021-2022 school year! To learn more about HCAP Head Start & Early Head Start and how to apply, Click Here.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Off to a Strong Start on Oʻahu

As the second week of June approaches, the annual Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is in full swing on Oʻahu, and HCAP staff are hard at work processing applications to meet the June 30th deadline for Energy Credit.

LIHEAP is a federally-funded program that helps local residents in need keep their power on. The program provides Energy Credit toward future electric or gas bill payments and Emergency Crisis Intervention for power that has been or is scheduled to be shut off due to past-due payments. Emergency Crisis Intervention is available year-round, but applications for the Energy Credit are only open during the month of June. Households that do not typically meet LIHEAP eligibility requirements but have experienced income loss or reduction due to COVID-19 may also apply for LIHEAP’s Disaster Emergency Crisis Intervention benefits this year. 

Many local ʻohana count on the assistance they receive from LIHEAP annually. Participants explain that since the Energy Credit is applied to their energy bills toward the end of each year, the program is a great help to their families and offers peace of mind during the holidays. Because the opportunity to apply for the Energy Credit lasts only one month, assisting with and processing applications is a huge commitment for many HCAP staff members each summer. 

As part of ongoing pandemic health and safety measures, applications from across Oʻahu are all being processed at HCAP’s Central District Service Center this year, with staff from the other four districts lending their support. This week, Leahi District Service Center staff did their part dedicating their time to assist in processing applications! 

Leahi District staff shared that although COVID-19 has presented a string of obstacles and required many adjustments to be made, they are proud that HCAP remains diligent in taking the necessary precautions to ensure LIHEAP can continue to serve those who need it most. 

To learn more about LIHEAP, Click Here.

Nā Lima Hana Partners with Leeward Community College to Provide New Employment Resources to Program Participants

HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program is excited to announce a new partnership with the Commercial Motor Vehicle Course at Leeward Community College. The course prepares students for the Class A licensing test required to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Individuals who hold a CDL are qualified to operate commercial vehicles such as trucks, tractor-trailers, and buses, allowing them to pursue a wide range of career opportunities. 

Eligible Nā Lima Hana participants interested in earning their CDL can now contact their local HCAP District Service Center to begin the process of obtaining their CDL permit, enrolling in the course, and finding employment once licensed. Like other non-credit courses through the University of Hawaiʻi system community colleges, the CDL licensing course at Leeward Community College qualifies participants for tuition assistance through the Nā Lima Hana program. 

To learn more about the Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program, Click Here.

Mixing Colors and Making Predictions with HCAP Head Start Keiki

This week was all about colorful science experiments for the keiki of HCAP Head Start!
 At Aiea I, students experimented with mixing paint colors. The keiki first chose two colors they wanted to work with and then made their own scientific predictions about what colors they would create when mixed. This simple science experiment helps teach young children how to identify primary colors and the different combinations used to create new ones!

Pauoa Head Start worked on an “Eggs-periment” this week. With the assistance from the distance learning teachers of Lanakila I Head Start, students placed eggs in cups of vinegar and made predictions about the results. The keiki were excited to observe and predict what would happen to their eggs after being soaked in vinegar for a few days, as well as what would happen when different food coloring was added to each egg cup. 

Click Here to Apply for the 2021-2022 Head Start School Year