See our Hawaii Middle/Intermediate School Athletics initiative page.

Through partnership between the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative and After-School All-Stars Hawaii (ASAS Hawaii), Washington Middle School will now be able to provide afterschool activities for at least 160 students, who were previously determined to be “at-risk” children. Funding of $42,025 will work towards the development of a three hour per day program, one of which is dedicated as an “Academic Hour,” in order to improve student progress in school and fulfill education initiatives. In addition, there will be several field trips, opportunities to participate in sports, the organization of service learning projects, and two planned family nights at the school. With the available funding provided by the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative, low-income students will now experience the types of extra-curricular activities that are more widely available to middle- and upper-class students.

Due to the schools location, Waipahu Intermediate School students face many difficulties, primarily because they must live within a setting rife with poverty, crime and drug abuse. Thus, making afterschool programs that much more valuable. The R.E.A.C.H. Initiative has since provided funding of $40,000 to Waipahu Intermediate School, allowing for the development “Project Akamai.” The projects goals include: promoting social-emotional and physical wellness to students through alternate activities, and by enabling students to make meaningful decisions in life. This will be achieved through activities such as: Chorus and Dance, Cross Country, Flag Football, Bowling, Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Soccer, and Track and Field. Collectively these activities will be provided to over 520 Waipahu Intermediate School students annually, an additional 610 students from across the Leeward district, as well as another 300 students from outside the Leeward district.

Located on the north shore of Oahu, Waialua High & Intermediate School has a student body consisting of many families who fall below the poverty line. Many parents and guardians lack the resources to support afterschool programs for their children. It is with $55,000 in funding from the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative that Waialua High & Intermediate can successfully offer an afterschool Learning Center for students and their families to experience highly technical science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) programs, which seek to enrich existing education and inspire creativity for the future. By offering afterschool programs such as the Learning Center, students who previously lacked confidence in their academic abilities, may now feel excited and prepared for college.

Through funding of $126,858 from the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative, the Kau, Keaau, Pahoa (KKP) Complex will continue to offer an intra-school athletics program for middle school students in the community. The KKP Complex provides a positive, safe outlet for children afterschool to remain engaged in school while physically active and developing positive character traits. Students who participate in the sports offered are required to participate in their school’s Uplink and After School All Stars tutoring programs, in efforts to keep students focused on school and academic achievement.

See our Hawaii Middle/Intermediate School Athletics initiative page.

Waimea Canyon Middle School, located on the island of Kauai is a school with deep roots in Native Hawaiian culture and values. Through the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative, Waimea Canyon Middle School may offer the Aloha ʻĀina program, which seeks to immerse students of the West Kauai community in cultural and environmental perspectives. Aloha ʻĀina curriculum will include history (Moʿolelo), teaching students about Native Hawaiian ancestry and culture; work ethic (Laulima), where students will learn to work towards a common goal for a rewarding end result; knowledge (ʿIke Kupuna), in which students may develop understanding of; and values (Mālama ‘Āina), in which to care for the land and the embracing of ancestral knowledge are paramount. Furthermore, in an effort to reconnect students to the land, all learning will take place outdoors.

Waiakea Intermediate School, located in Hilo, Hawaii has received $70,000 through the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative. This funding will allow for existing afterschool services to continue to be offered, in partnership with Waiakea Intermediate School’s UPLINK program, as well as the future development of five new school clubs in addition to the existing 22 clubs, that include: the Community Service Club, which will give students the chance to become involved in various service projects through club field trips; the Chorus Club, grants students the opportunity to develop voice and performance skills as well as to perform professionally as musicians; the Photography Club provides students the chance to learn the basic aesthetic and technical skills of digital photography, as both a hobby and potential career path, along with the experience of participating in an art exhibition; the Nutrition Club gives students the opportunity to learn healthy eating habits and activities to create simple snacks; the Book Club will explore various genres of books, allowing students to engage in and discuss their interests. The R.E.A.C.H. Initiative will also support a year-end closing ceremony, which will give recognition to student government and club achievements.

Through the R.E.A.C.H. Initiative, Waikoloa Middle School, located in a remote part of the island of Hawaii, has received $37,900 of funding. The initiative will allow for the development of programs such as: the Waikoloa Asian and Pacific Islander Student Alliance (WAPISA), which will provide cultural events, community service, as well as academic and social support for the Asian and Pacific Islander student population; the Waikoloa Art Guild, which aims at inspiring and showcasing students with an interest in the arts; the Waikoloa Cross Country program, giving students the chance to learn team work and sportsmanship through an active lifestyle, while gaining recognition for their achievements; and the Waikoloa Robotics STEM Club, which will incorporate the fields of science, math, engineering and technology through the lens of problem-based learning and creative development.