Hōkūpaʻa Updates
Resources, community news, and bright spots.
Cup-of-Cheer 2025-2026
Cup-of-Cheer has grown a lot over the past five years, but the mission is the same as when we started: uplift and promote positive connections on school campuses by showing appreciation for all school personnel…With 2025’s fall semester pau, we have visited 16 out of the 19 public schools in the Honokaʻa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area, and we will visit our 17th in May. This is already another record-breaking year for participation, reaching over 1,000 school personnel!
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.
Kealakehe Intermediate Students’ Community Service Ideas
This past March, Kealakehe Intermediate School hosted a career fair to introduce students to local career pathways. As part of our booth highlighting nonprofit management as a career pathway, we asked students to imagine that they could do anything to benefit their community.
Hōkūpaʻa Op-Ed: Fight for Our Future
Mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic, combined with long-festering substance use disorders in our community, are colliding in our youth population in a way that has long-reaching consequences for our entire island.
GUEST BLOG: TAKE ACTION BY THE COALITION FOR A TOBACCO-FREE HAWAIʻI YOUTH COUNCIL
Hawaiian POG. Blue Razz. Lush Ice. These are not flavors of candy or shave ice but e-cigarettes. Behind these sweet flavors promising notes of sweet and tangy flavors of guava, orange, and passion fruit or freshly sliced candied watermelons with a touch of refreshing menthol are the nicotine equivalent of two packs of cigarettes.
SURVEY: HELPING FAMILIES PREPARE STUDENTS FOR POST-HIGH SUCCESS
We’ve been busy with post-high pathway events for students, but families are important, too! We want to help families guide students into success after high school, whatever their path may be.