HCAP WEEKLY October 10, 2022

Kūpuna Independent Life Series Celebrates 10th Anniversary

On October 4th, the Kūpuna Independent Life Series began its 10th year of providing seniors living on the Waiʻanae Coast with health education workshops at the Leeward District Service Center. Leeward staff was honored to have two pillars in the Waiʻanae community join, Auntie Esmeralda Shelltrak and Auntie Ruby Maunakea, original participating kūpuna who have continued to attend classes over the past ten years. Since 2012, Leeward has retained a fruitful partnership with the HPU College of Nursing and the faculty advisor Monica Magallanes, a Waiʻanae HPU graduate who was a student nurse during the first Kūpuna Independent Life Series.

This semester, the health curriculum will focus on the anatomy of laughter and how laughing benefits different parts of the body. Since the pandemic has impacted senior mental health, laughter and celebration will no doubt lift kūpuna out of the post-pandemic blues. The curriculum will include guest speakers, who bring a wealth of knowledge to the kūpuna, arts and crafts focusing on paper mache sculptures, and guest musicians to perform for the kūpuna during the holiday season. At the end of the series, the sculptures of dishes, bowls, masks, picture frames, and animals will be auctioned to raise funds for a celebratory meal.

The Kūpuna Independent Life Series is held twice a year, in the spring and fall. This free program provides kūpuna (age 55+) with health education and support to maintain their independence. For more information, contact HCAP’s Leeward District Service Center.

Hā Initiative Hosts Family Trivia Night

In September, the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-Scool Program hosted a Family Night event which included all of the STEM Exploration centers working together. The students invited their parents, siblings, and friends to their classrooms to play STEM trivia and observe what they had been exploring during their past learning module. All of the classes competed with each other over Zoom. The game started with questions on natural disasters, followed by general STEM trivia, and ended with an autumn-themed math/logic game. The trivia questions were customized/created on Kahoot using questions directly from the STEM curriculum. Students used classroom-issued iPads to answer the questions while the teachers hosted from a Smartboard. The game used colorful themes and music to encourage engagement and excitement. Kahoot trivia was a hit amongst the students because it turned reviewing unit material into a fun game. The Family Night also included the students sharing several projects they completed during their natural disaster learning module with their guests. The Hā Initiative continues to host Family Nights and field trip events monthly.

Click Here to learn more about the Hā Initiative.

Head Start Keiki Strengthen Social-Emotional Intelligence

Head Start keiki at ʻAiea Pre-Plus and Pālolo I exercised health, safety, and teamwork while developing their social-emotional intelligence. The keiki at ʻAiea Pre-Plus practiced their routine safety by walking in a line. While doing so, Avery noticed Jade was sad and extended his hand to her. Jade’s mood was instantly lifted! The two walked hand in hand as everyone made their way to the cafeteria. The keiki at Pālolo I also helped one another by securing each other’s face masks if someone was having difficulty. The keiki recalled the importance of face masks, hand-washing, and keeping everyone safe by applying these hygiene and health skills in the classroom.

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