There are 743 keiki (ages birth to 5) in Waimānalo, 76% of whom are Native Hawaiian. 75% of these families in this community are economically disadvantaged, with annual incomes of $66,378 or less to support a family of four. By increasing school readiness and supporting the families within the community, the Waimānalo ʻUpena project aims to strengthen a streamlined continuum of care and support for keiki and their families, improving early childhood development, kindergarten readiness, and academic achievement.  

The Waimānalo ʻUpena includes more than 30 partners ranging from health care providers and family support organizations to public and public charter school leaders, early childhood educators, families, and community members. The ʻUpena builds a collective response to community identified priorities. Over the last two years, these partners have been meeting regularly to ensure that all young keiki (ages 0-8 years old) have access to the support and services they need to develop a healthy, safe, and thriving life by the time they reach kindergarten.  

Formerly led by Early Childhood Action Strategy and Pewa Project, the Waimānalo Early Education ʻUpena now transitions leadership to an organization rooted in the community, Partners in Development Foundation’s program- Na Pono No Nā ʻOhana, a program serving Waimānalo for over 20 years.  

The Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana program provides Early Childhood Education/Family Education services through a unique blend of the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) Family Education model with Nā Honua Maoli Ola (Hawaiian cultural guidelines). This innovative curriculum approach aims to increase family self-sufficiency by providing culture-based comprehensive educational support, including home visiting services and connections to community resources. 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to keep this project going,” shared Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana Project Director, Brittney Pescaia. “The keiki of Waimānalo deserve a close-knit, culturally driven community that uplifts and supports them from a young age. Through this collaboration, we’ve built pilina (relationships) with dozens of professionals who lead with aloha inside and out! Waimānalo has the most heart-driven, ʻakamai (intelligent), hard-working group of leaders that I’ve ever met. I am deeply humbled to serve Waimānalo alongside of them.” 

The ʻUpena program responds to the needs of the Waimānalo community through aligned strategies to promote culturally centered early learning opportunities and foster stronger connections between families, schools, and service providers. Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, in addition to its grant award, has provided valuable insight and an action-focused partnership to champion the success of the Waimānalo Early Education ‘Upena for years to come.   

To learn more about the program, visit pidf.org/napono and waimanalo.healthysafethriving.org/. 

“Kids often walk to school from their homes, but 8 out of 10 times, they don’t make it because they stop at a friend’s house, and their parents aren’t aware,” explains Shonna Ontiveros, Piha Me Ka Pono’s Lead Community School Coordinator at Kealakehe Intermediate. While the surrounding school area is within a 1-mile radius, there is no public or school transportation available, and safety concerns about motorists persist. “One volunteer, on her own time, goes out every morning by the elementary school to man the crosswalk.” 

Inspired by a visit to a community school in New Mexico, Ontiveros brought the concept of a walking school bus program back to Kealakehe. Before launching, she collaborated with Hawaii County Safe Routes to School, Hawaii Police Department, and the Hawaii Department of Health to establish safety measures, and extended participation to Kealakehe Elementary School. 

A walking school bus is like a traditional school bus – but on foot! Adult volunteers lead groups of students along safe, predetermined routes to school, making scheduled “stops” to pick up more children along the way. Like a regular bus route, the group follows established paths with marked crosswalks and good visibility to ensure everyone’s safety.

The program launched on December 16th at 7:00am. Volunteers knocked on doors of registered students, gathering children ready for school. Approximately fifty students, primarily from Kealakehe Elementary School, joined volunteers on a safe route to campus. Participants were greeted by a festive inflatable heart mascot and received “walking tokens” redeemable for snacks or small prizes at week’s end.

Partners in Development Foundation continues to support these community-driven efforts through the Piha Me Ka Pono program, which partners with seven schools across Hawaii implementing the 7 Pillars of the Community School Model. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Walking School Bus, contact the Piha Me Ka Pono team via contact form here.