In 2011, grants from the Hawai'i Community Foundation helped PBS Hawaii to Launch HIKI NŌ, the first statewide student news network and digital media learning initiative. The innovative program gives students from 86 public, private and charter schools from across the islands the opportunity to create and produce video news stories through the help of teachers who provide guidance on production. The participating students and teachers use their personal time to work on these video stories and it's viewed as an extracurricular activity, until now. To help further grow HIKI NŌ, the Stupski Family Fund of the Hawai'i Community Foundation awarded a three-year, $2.1 million grant that will allow the program to build curriculum so an elective course can be incorporated in Hawai'i's middle and high schools. "HIKI NŌ belongs in the schools, not outside the school day," noted Kelvin Taketa. "We're honored to work with passionate donors, like Joyce Stupski, who have the desire to create a greater impact in our education system." To learn more about HIKI NŌ, and to watch episodes of the program, visit pbshawaii.org/hikino
Since 2008, HCF has partnered with ARTS FIRST by supporting the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ (SFCA) Artists in the Schools Program. By providing grants to schools for qualified teaching artists to conduct residencies in individual classes, artists and teachers get the chance to collaborate on ways to weave art into the Department of Education curriculum. The experience not only enhances teachers' abilities to teach the existing curriculum as well as the arts... it also helps make learning come alive for students. The Honolulu Theatre for Youth (HTY) is one of seven nonprofit organizations funded this year by HCF to conduct art residences. HTY actors are working with elementary and middle school students to help them use their imaginations and creativity in the process of learning about culture, history, numbers, reading, and even life skills. Funding for HTY and these other nonprofits - Maui Dance Council, Maui Academy of Performing Arts, Lotus Arts Foundation, Honolulu Museum of Art, Hawai'i Potters' Guild, and Hawaii Opera Theatre - will allow arts residencies to take place in 43 schools on O'ahu, Maui, Hawai'i Island, and Kaua'i this year. In combination with the grants distributed by SFCA, a total of 92 schools will host art residencies in 2014-2015, many with a population of low-income students.
Hawai'i Tourism Authority In 2013, Hawai'i Community Foundation partnered with Hawai'i Tourism Authority (HTA) to administer its Natural Resources Program and Kūkulu Ola: Living Hawaiian Culture Program. Both grant programs focus on funding projects across the state that advance the goals of preserving Hawai'i's natural resources and perpetuating the Native Hawaiian culture. In the first year of grants, HCF helped to award more than $1.2 million to support 40 projects including beach cleanups, production of signage describing wildlife and native plants, and renovation of buildings to become culture centers for visitors and local residents. This year, HCF is expected to award more than $2.1 million on behalf of HTA's programs. You can find a full list of grantees on our website, hawaiicommunityfoundation.org Moloka‘i residents working to preserve Hawai‘i’s natural resources as part of a grant to Moloka‘i Land Trust. Correction: The print version of Faces of Philanthropy contained an error in the caption for these HTA grantee photos. The photos were mistakenly attributed to Ka Honua Momona International, when they were actually from a Moloka'i Land Trust project. We became aware of the error after the issue was printed and mailed to our constituents. We apologize for the oversight and hope this does not result in any confusion to community members who are affiliated with either program.