Native Hawaiian Community Learning Center Project
NNEF was proud to have created the Native Hawaiian Community Learning Center funded by the US Department of Education under the Native Hawaiian Education Act. NNEF strove to meet the needs of Native Hawaiian families on O'ahu, especially in urban Honolulu. During the project period, approximately 2500 parents, extended family members and students participated in training, counseling, and cultural activities in the community center. Our primary service activities included:
- An adult basic education program including: GED & Competency Based High School Diploma Program & Testing in partnership with Farrington Community School for Adults.
- Adult Computer Literacy courses featuring: computer basics, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Publisher, and mixed media labs.
- Family/Student Recreational/Cultural/Academic Nights, including classes on: Hawaiian Language, Hula, Native Hawaiian Chant, 'Ukulele, Guitar, Lei Hulu (Traditional Feather Lei Making), and Ipu (Traditional Gourd Hula Implement).
- After-school Student Computer tutoring for students of Hālau Lokahi Charter School.
- An After-School Program for Native Hawaiian youth.
- Weekend and summer courses supportive of the unique cultural and educational needs of Native Hawaiian youth with Native kūpuna (elders) and mākua (seniors) as kumu (teachers).
- Unique field experiences for high risk youth to cultural, spiritual and historical places of significance to Native Hawaiian people.
NNEF was also pleased and honored to host two graduation ceremonies for our high school diploma (GED) program as well as numerous completion celebrations at the closing of all fourteen of our six week cultural class and computer course intensives. In service to our community, we have done our best to increase educational achievement, participation in educational activities and improve attitudes towards education in the Native Hawaiian community.