Empower students, support schools, connect community.

CHALLENGE: Too many students are struggling academically and few students pursue additional education, vocational training, or apprenticeships after high school.

STRATEGY: Improve student engagement by increasing the relevance of education to students’ aspirations, career goals, and ‘real life.’ Promoting internships, apprenticeships, and other hands-on opportunities for students to learn outside the traditional classroom.

DESIRED OUTCOME: Public school student and teacher success - increased student engagement, graduation, post-secondary education, and job placement. Students leave high school with the life skills needed to act effectively in school, social settings, and work settings. Students are able to enter training or employment in a field they are passionate about.

CHALLENGE: Many indicate they struggle with depression, bullying and diminished self-worth.

STRATEGY: Building the social-emotional resilience and life skills that help students be mentally and emotionally ready to enter adulthood.

DESIRED OUTCOME: Young people who are confident, courageous, motivated, determined, and contributing to the world. Students who have a sense of safety and belonging, connected to a strong network of family, friends, and community that empowers them to take a stand for each other, their community, and themselves.

CHALLENGE: Youth need guidance and support from their communities because schools cannot address all students’ needs alone.

STRATEGY: Strengthening relationships with and between students and their peers, teachers, schools and community; empowering student voices as critical to defining solutions and visions for the future;

DESIRED OUTCOME: Community connection that increases long-term quality of life, earning potential, and the health of Hawaiʻi. Students who actively participate and make a difference, including leadership roles. Young people with the ability to create new solutions for the community and our natural environment.