HCAP WEEKLY November 1, 2021

Back in the Classroom with HCAP Head Start!

On November 2, 2021, HCAP Head Start’s classrooms and Home-Based program welcomed its keiki back for in-person services! Both our teachers and our students were so excited to be back for in-person learning and all the different educational activities the classroom has to offer. Here are a few of the many activities our HCAP Head Start keiki engaged in during their first week back in the classroom!

Aiea I & Pre-Plus Head Start

The HCAP Head Start keiki from Ms. Stevi and Michelle’s classroom enjoyed learning together during outdoor play! The children engaged in a variety of activities such as riding tricycles while developing gross-motor skills, demonstrating emergent writing skills while using chalk to practice spelling their names, and taking turns riding the blue whale Spring Rider! They also practiced using kind, polite words like, “It’s my turn, please!” and “thank you!”

Meanwhile in Ms. Leonna and Jamielyn’s classroom, HCAP Head Start keiki developed communication and language skills while engaging in dramatic play. By playing together in the classroom’s mini kitchen the children were able to use their imagination and creative problem solving skills!

August Ahrens I & II Head Start

Ms. Maricel welcomed each of our HCAP Head Start keiki into the classroom with a greeting at the door! Our Head Start Teachers were very proud to see all their students wearing their masks and keeping 6 feet apart. On their first day students practiced social distancing to make sure they kept themselves and their peers safe. Great job Head Start keiki!

Click Here for more information about HCAP Head Start & Early Head Start.

Hā Initiative Students Journey into Space with NASA Scientist Dr. Michael Zolensky!

Ever wanted to journey through space with a NASA Scientist? That’s exactly what our Hā Initiative students did this past week as they welcomed Planetary Scientist Dr. Michael Zolensky from NASA into their Google Classroom! In his presentation, Dr. Zolensky shared videos of asteroids, mostly made out of iron and nickel, circling the sun which results in rocks landing on Earth! The students were amazed by the videos and learned from Dr. Zolensky that asteroids all have the same shape because they do not have enough gravity and mass to become round. The students also learned about the discovery of micrometeorites and learned that the microscopic size of micrometeorites makes it so that we are breathing them in every day! 

Finally, Dr. Zolensky shared with the students that his passion for rocks and geology began at just 8 years old and led him to become a scientist who has worked with NASA for over 30 years! Who knows, we may have a future planetary scientist in our classrooms! The students had so many questions for Dr. Zolensky and we thank him for sharing his manaʻo with our Hā Initiative keiki!

Our Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program has five locations around Oʻahu and is offering in-person and virtual learning at all of our STEM Exploration Centers. To learn more about the program and enroll your keiki in FREE after-school, email hcapstem@hcapweb.org.

Weatherization Assistance Client Receives a Beautiful New Refrigerator

When Vicki first came to HCAP’s Leeward District Service Center her refrigerator was in bad shape. The refrigerator was in such poor condition that Vicki was using the freezer to keep her refrigerated food cold given that the freezer would not freeze anything and the refrigerator was too warm to safely use. After speaking with Vicki about the situation, our staff immediately jumped into action and helped her to apply for HCAP’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Once enrolled into the program, our staff completed their audit and Vicki completed an in-home energy audit. In addition, Vicki received energy efficient tips and brochures. But the most important part of the program was yet to come and in a few weeks Vicki received a delivery…a brand new refrigerator! Vicki was so thankful to have received her new refrigerator. In her words, “It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!”

HCAP’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps low-income households reduce their energy consumption and costs. This is achieved through a home energy audit plus household-specific energy efficiency tips and education, and a selection of cost-effective energy efficient measures. Some of those measures may include high-efficiency faucet aerators & shower heads, compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) or Light Emitting Diode lighting (LED), and/or an energy-efficient solar water heater, all provided free of charge. To learn more about the program, email: hcapwap@hcapweb.org.

Spooky Surveys: Kalihi-Palama Celebrates Halloween by Sharing HCAP Services and Surveys with the Kukui Gardens Residents!

It was more than just ghosts and ghouls for our Kalihi-Palama District Service Center this past Halloween! To celebrate, our staff attended Halloween festivities at Kukui Gardens to share more information about HCAP programs and services as well as pass out Community Needs Assessment surveys to the community and our partners. During their visit, our staff were able to pass out and collect the surveys from the parents and children at Kukui Gardens as well as from our partners at Kalihi Palama Settlement. It was a fun day for all and many of the families our staff met were excited to learn about all the programs and services that HCAP offers!