Hōkūpaʻa Updates
Resources, community news, and bright spots.
Stories from the Field: 3rd Annual Puakalehua Celebrate ʻOhana Festival
It was the third annual Puakalehua Celebrate ʻOhana Festival last month! …As always, the event featured wonderful early learning providers and supporters. Twenty organizations volunteered to host tables with hands-on keiki activities and goodies, along with plenty of information.
Stories from the Field: Footsteps to Transition Fair
The Footsteps to Transition Fair in Waimea served families and students with disabilities from North Hawaiʻi and Hamakua, with schools and organizations from across the islands. Dozens of community, government, education, and nonprofit partners ran tables offering attendees resources, information, connections, and fundraising goodies.
Bright Spot: Transformative Translations #2
As Transformative Translations celebrates its 5th year, the program continues growing in its mission to uplift languages and empower their speakers. Since we last interviewed the director, the Transformative Translations team has added even more options for students…
Bright Spot: Honokaʻa Dragons Spring Fair
“By giving students a chance to be in charge and contribute in a hands-on way, we supported their overall wellbeing, encouraged leadership, and helped them feel more connected — not only to each other, but to the school and community around them…This event made a real difference in how students saw themselves and each other.”
Bright Spot: School Based Health Centers by Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center
“Our School Based Health Centers (SBHCs) are a doctor’s office inside of your child’s school. The goal is to provide care that is in addition to the care received at their medical home/doctor’s office, not to replace that routine care.”
Stories from the Field: 11th Annual West Hawaiʻi Science & Engineering Fair at Pālamanui
We had so much fun spending a Saturday at the Hawaiʻi Community College - Pālamanui campus amongst enthusiastic students, teachers, and volunteers for the 11th Annual West Hawaiʻi Science & Engineering Fair.
Bright Spot: DECA Hawaiʻi Island Regionals
Almost every business leader was once a student, taking in experiences and knowledge to influence their future ideas. We like to support school and community efforts to connect students pursuing all types of passions, including those with entrepreneurial or corporate ambitions. This past January, we had a great time volunteering to help some of the island’s business-oriented high school students show off their pitching skills.
Stories from the Field: 2nd Annual Puakalehua Celebrate ‘Ohana Festival
Early learning provides a strong foundation for children to be successful lifelong learners, and it can often be a lot of fun, too! It’s especially beneficial for the whole ‘ohana when everyone gets involved. Playing and enjoying positive time together is great for bonding and learning. So we’re so glad that the second annual Puakalehua Early Learning Consortium’s Celebrate Ohana Fest was able to welcome ~1,500 people!
Stories from the Field: Elementary Career Exposure Fair, October 2024
It’s never too early or too late to explore career options! There are so many possibilities right here on Hawaii Island for kids to consider when they think about what their lives could be like after they finish school.
Bright Spot: CU Hawai‘i Youth Programming — Reality Fairs & More
Financial literacy is important, but can be daunting. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources. CU Hawai‘i does in-person and virtual financial literacy presentations for groups of all ages, and also pops up at events like community fairs, career fairs, and school family nights.
Bright Spot: Elementary Career Exposure Fair, May 2024
The careers of today and tomorrow ask for more and more skills and experience than before. The workers of tomorrow ask for the opportunities to pursue what is important to them. Finding the balance point is a challenge for everyone. By gaining knowledge and experience of their options and their preferences, our youth can approach this challenge with greater confidence and a higher chance for success.
Bright Spot: Transformative Translations
Recognizing that young people from multilingual households are often underappreciated community assets, a West Hawaiʻi teacher gathered support to launch an innovative career pathway and community service project.
Cup-of-Cheer Returns!
After a couple of years on hiatus, we are once again working with our original partners to bring back Cup-of-Cheer. The HIDOE complex area, Delta Kappa Gamma Rho Chapter, and Hōkūpaʻa are reunited with the intention to visit all 19 public schools in the Honokaʻa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area. And we could use some help!
GUEST BLOG: Kaukau 4 Keiki Project by Laʻakea Judd, UH-Hilo Ka Pouhana Peer Mentor
Amidst the busy summer bustle, dedicated students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Ka Pouhana Program spent six weeks leading a community project for Hilo families.
Bright Spot: Holualoa Elementary School Murals
This spring, Holualoa Elementary School has been getting a powerful makeover. It’s all thanks to a collaboration between the school and its parent-teacher organization, the grassroots art nonprofit Lydia8, and the community-based organization Aloha MAP.
Bright Spot: Konawaena Elementary Family Craft Night
Families can always use more positive opportunities to visit their student’s campus. Mandatory meetings with teachers and other staff can be seen as a chore or even provoke anxiety. But we know that good things happen when families, students, and staff gather together to do something fun.
Bright Spot: Kohala High School Mental Health Awareness
We believe students are at their best when they feel connected to their schools. When those who work with young people build connections, they’re also building up students’ social-emotional and mental wellbeing.
In the spirit of reconnecting and student wellbeing, Kohala High School counselor Erin Henderson applied for a Hōkūpaʻa mini grant this semester to purchase supplies for a mental health awareness campaign.
BRIGHT SPOT: NO KE OLA PONO O NĀ KEIKI FIELD DAYS
What better way to uplift everyone than by coming together to host fun elementary school field days? Led by the West Hawaii Department of Education district office, these GEER Grant-funded* “No Ke Ola Pono O Nā Keiki” — roughly translated as “For the Health of Our Children” field day events include activities, sports equipment, and refreshments for students, teachers, and school staff.
BRIGHT SPOT: HAWAIʻI COUNTY FENTANYL TASK FORCE
Behavioral health and substance abuse have emerged as issues of acute concern in our West Hawaiʻi community. Last month, a coalition of Hawaiʻi Island organizations, government entities, healthcare providers, and community members held a virtual opioid summit called “Don’t Die HI.” The event was a response to a dangerous rise in fentanyl throughout the United States and the state of Hawaiʻi— particularly West Hawaiʻi.
BRIGHT SPOT: "WINTER WONDERLAND" AT KE KULA 'O 'EHUNUIKAIMALINO
What to do when Winter Break is approaching and everyone could use a boost?
Kumu Alapaʻi Kaulia, the Parent Community Networking Coordinator at Ke Kula ʻO ʻEhunuikaimalino, applied for a Hōkūpaʻa mini grant for a drive-through “Winter Wonderland.”