Six deserving high schools recently received $200 Teaching as a Career (TAAC) grants from HEA/Pi Lambda Theta-Beta Zeta Hawaii Chapter to help support their students’ teaching aspirations. Congratulations to Farrington High School, James Campbell High School, Kauai High School, Leilehua High School, Maui High School, and Mililani High School.
Farrington High School, Teaching Pathway, Public Service Academy
Farrington High School senior teaching cadets developed a creative “Apron Story” project to inspire as many as 50 elementary students to read. The innovative team used props, acting and other tools to create an interactive experience for the students at Kapalama, Kalihi Kai, and Fern Elementary Schools in Kalihi.
The teacher cadets decorated a blank apron based on the story using paint. The teacher cadets learned how to captivate young learners who don’t necessarily take pleasure in reading and how to successfully deliver meaningful interactive teaching.
James Campbell High School Educators Rising/Academy of Public & Human Services
The James Campbell High School Teaching as a Profession program used their grant for three different projects.
For their first project, the students purchased read aloud books and craft supplies and visited first grade classes at Kaimiloa Elementary School to conduct Halloween-themed activities. Teams of students helped children create Halloween lanterns, friendship bracelets, monster hands, geometric bats, lollipop ghosts, and 3D pumpkins. One group read, “The Fright Club,” and extended their lesson with a pumpkin wreath.
Another group of students developed a lesson focused on social emotional learning and taught at Ewa Makai Middle School, focusing on relationship skills, compassion, and self-awareness throughout the day-long visit. The students have a greater appreciation of how hard teachers work to help each student.
For their third project, the future educators conducted read aloud sessions followed by kinesthetic activities or fine motor skill lessons with preschoolers at Seagull School Ocean Pointe.
Kauai High School Club/Academy: Future Teachers of Hawaii Club
Students in the Future Teachers of Hawaii Club at Kauai High School visited various local preschools, schools, and nonprofits on Oahu and the neighbor islands. Students and club leaders learned the power of our voices through writing and publishing as well as by leading adults in conversations about learning.
Leilehua High School Teacher Education Program
Five students competed in three different STAR Events at the FCCLA State Conference in January 2024. Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for young men and women in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education.
The school made good use of the grant funds. In the Early Childhood Education event, the student created lesson plans around the theme “Four Seasons” for those ages 5 to 8. Some of the supplies were seasonal stickers for a seasonal book and manipulatives for a sensory bin and the resource bin.
The second team worked on planning an event to raise funds for a teacher and her class who lost everything during the Maui wildfires. The supplies they used were cardstock and string for a “color your own mask” table at Leilehua High School’s Fall Fest. They also created cards in which the community could write notes to the teacher and students of that class.
The third team created a sports nutrition plan for some of the athletes at Leilehua. They worked with students who were in dual sports. Some of HEA’s funds were used for a display board, water bottles, and other handouts for the judges.
All students placed in the top three of their categories and four of them received scholarships to study education at Sullivan University. All the students agree the opportunities gave them more confidence in public speaking, which was their worst fear.
Maui High School Club/Academy: MHS Education Pathway
Maui High School students interned at Kahului Elementary and Maui High School and visited
Pukalani Elementary, Pomaikaʻi Elementary, and the University of Hawaii-Manoa. The grant allowed the students to purchase supplies and prizes for events at the various schools.
These events have impacted the students of Maui High School and Maui Waena Intermediate. The activities enhance the students’ sense of belonging. Maui High School Club plans to collaborate with the health and law and public safety pathways for future activities.
Mililani HIgh School, Teaching As A Profession Pathway
Mililani High School students led mini workshops for children each weekend during November and December 2023. Students created their own craft activity and promoted it through their visits to the elementary schools. The grant funds were able to help with purchasing materials and treats for the participants.
The grant also supported the daily Community Building activity. In addition to activities to model and foster Ha, students also created their own activities to build community. At the start or end of each class, students would engage in activities to foster belonging and a sense of place and aloha.
As a result of both activities, students were able to demonstrate compassion and empathy for the students they worked with as well as with their peers. In addition, students were given the opportunity to develop organizational skills and time management. They also had to adapt and think on their feet when their lesson or activity did not go as planned. Using their critical thinking skills, students learned the importance of preparation and reflection
