Wai`ale`ale Project Student Lisa Rapozo Brings Kaua`i Community Together to Save Hule`ia River and Nawiliwili Bay Watershed

On Saturday, October 19th, and Sunday, October 20th, over 30 Kaua`i Community College students and faculty members joined as many members of the Rotary Club of Kaua`i and Malama Hule`ia to get down and dirty in the muddy headwaters of the Hule`ia River of Nawiliwili to eradicate the highly invasive Red Mangrove plant that has severely overtaken the banks of the river and areas of the Nawiliwili Bay watershed.

Malama Hule`ia and the Kailoa Canoe Club received grant funding from NOAA and Hawai`i Community Foundation to support the elimination of the aggressive invasive plant. Bringing Kaua`i CC to the cause was the brainchild of Lisa Rapozo, Wai`ale`ale Project’s Head Student Mentor, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society student, and Kaua`i CC Student Employee of the Year as her annual student mentoring project. Over months, she collaborated with Kimo Perry, Wai`al`ale Project Coordinator and Student Support Coordinator Bevin Parker-Evans, and Mason Chock of Kupu A`e and Malama Hule`ia.

Lisa Rapozo

Kaua`i CC’s Kipaipai First Year Experience Coordinator Rebecca Yund, Kipaipai mentors and first year students, Student Activities Coordinator John Constantino and ASUH-KCC student government leaders, Math faculty member Ming (Coco) Chi joined the Wai`ale`ale Project team for the clean-up.

Rapozo grew up in Niumalu and remembers when she and her cousins played in the river and watershed. Over time, the Red Mangrove has dramatically taken over the area, compromising the water quality and wildlife. Today, waters by Niumalu Park are choked off. The plant’s air roots collect sediment, which creates islands of dirt that fill and cover up the natural wetlands.

The two-day project resulted in a remarkable visible difference. Chain saws buzzed, mangrove trees were cut down to the water line, and volunteers dragged 10-25 feet tall tree branches out of wet estuary lands.

The determined community team was rewarded at the end of their long days by a fish fry feast cooked up by Malama Hule`ia Board member Pepe Trask. Menehune Water Company and Starbucks Coffee donated water and coffee.

Of the project, Rapozo said she was “rewarded with a feeling of accomplishment of service.” For all participants, there was deep appreciation for the ‘aina of historic Niumalu.

Rapozo believes that students, who have been given opportunities to advance in college with help from scholarships, should be willing to give back to their community. Kaua`i CC encourages leadership development through mentorship, internship and service-learning civic engagement to do this as part of the college learning experience. Rapozo, one of the original students recruited
four years ago to the Wai`ale`ale Project scholarship program, has been able to continue working full time and raising her family while attending school. She will graduate Fall 2013 with an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and transfer this spring to University of Hawai`i West Oahu to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology via distance learning. 

The Wai`ale`ale Project provides academic support through tutoring, mentoring, summer college-readiness programs and on-going academic support to students who wouldn't normally be able to attend college without community support. Working with community organizations, the scholarship, founded by a single donor, has grown and expanded due to the generous contributions of organizations such as OHA, Kamehameha Schools, and individuals. Students are recruited by organizations within the community who are resource referral partners focused on student success. For more information about Lisa Rapozo and the Kaua`i CC Wai`ale`ale Project, watch the 3-minute video produced by UH Foundation at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9nWH0WbcNw

To find out more about the work at Malama Hule`ia or community groups who are looking for community service opportunities should contact Mason Chock at http://malamahuleia.org/

Collaboratively written by Bevin Parker-Evans with Cammie Matsumoto

Giving High School Students a Head Start in Math

In the photo are Kapaa High School students: Cassiah Linn, Lilia Yamamoto,
Kamalani Brun, Alexa Thompson, Devin Caspilla, Jillian Wilkie, Derek Silva,
Melanie Moala; with KCC student mentors: Roxanne Carvalho and
Jemeyia Shamia; and Gigi Drent, KCC Mathematics Instructor, Frances Dinnan,
Running Start Counselor, and Kathryn Bailey, Kapaa High School Instructor
at the head of the table.

Kapa`a High School Math Readiness Camp for high school juniors and seniors.

With the successful and satisfying 2011 – 2012 academic year just completed, faculty began making their summer plans a reality. For one faculty, Gigi Drent, in Mathematics, this meant leading high school students toward a college education.

In late May and early June, Drent, along with Kathryn Bailey, Kapa`a High School Mathematics instructor, conducted a Math Readiness Camp for under-prepared high school juniors and seniors in preparation for their entrance to college-level Mathematics courses. The students, applicants to the College’s Running Start Program, brushed up on their skills in preparation for a COMPASS re-test. Classes were held at Kapa`a High School and KCC. Two KCC students, Roxanne Carvalho and Jameyia Shamia served as mentors throughout this service-learning project.

The project was funded by a grant received by the College from Hawaii Pacific Islands Campus Compact (HIPICC). The UH system is the largest body of this 18-campus membership of colleges in the Pacific Region. KCC also received a generous donation from the International Test & Evaluation Association Mid-Pacific Center on Kaua`i.

“The goal of this program was to give students a head start at college so they will have an easy transition into college and consider majoring in STEM-related fields of study,” said Drent. KCC joins the UH system and the nation in its push to increase the number of students in STEM fields. In the March 19, 2012 edition of U.S. News and World Report, the importance of STEM to the nation was reiterated. With support from government, business and education, the collective goal has been to “bring STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) to the forefront as a necessary focus for a successful and competitive workforce and economic development . . . to encourage growth in STEM programmatic initiatives.” KCC’s Math Camp is one clear demonstration of commitment, and confident about what its students can achieve.

In Math Camp, students were pre and post tested daily to determine individual study needs. Drent found that students all pre-tested in the 20 – 40% range and post-tested in the 60 – 85% range. Some even reached 100% perfect scores. “Students are really excited about their opportunity to take a college courses next semester and most of all they are very happy to have actually learned some math this past week! “ said Drent. One student even said, “It’s so much fun to really understand,” and that in itself, makes all the difference in the world.

Posted for C.Matsumoto.

Students In Service Orientation

WHAT IS IT? Currently, there are 90 positions available in Hawai`i for college students and veterans from all disciplines who like to learn by serving in volunteer positions. If you are already working on your practicum, internships, Service learning projects, or just want to serve your country as an AmeriCorps member addressing local community issues, learning valuable civic and workforce skills, and aspiring to a lifetime of civic engagement, this is the program for you.

WHY: This is a great way to earn $1100-$2700.00 in an educational grant.

WHEN: Thursday November 17th or Friday December 2nd at 3 pm

WHERE: One Stop Center Room 105 Kaua`i Community College

DON'T HAVE TIME TO VOLUNTEER? Many students don't realize that they are already serving more volunteer hours than they realize working at school, with a key project, a church charity or a non-profit interest. A percentage of personal development training, conferences and classtime counts towards your community service hours. Let us help you to determine if this will fit your already busy schedule. Over 140 students in Hawaii have already started their service this year and choose to pay for their educational costs by this method.

WHEN TO START: You can begin your service at any time during the year. Positions tend to fill up in the summer and fall, but if you would like to start late Fall or Winter, this orientation series is for you. Call 808-245-0105 or email bpe@hawaii.edu to reserve a space for one of the orientation classes listed above. We will help you fill out the forms and get the needed paperwork completed easily. See http://www.studentsinservice.org/ for more information and call today to be prepared for your orientation date.

Posted by:

Bevin Parker-Evans

Chancellor's Corner

Grant Work
Many of us at the College have been involved in writing grant proposals the past few weeks. A Title III Department of Education grant proposal, if successful, will support the College effort to provide effective curriculum and co-curricular support to potential and first year college students. Two Department of Labor grants proposals, if successful, will move forward courses in agriculture, business, energy, health and basic skills. It will be several months before we know proposals will be funded.

Partnerships
In the past week, we have strengthened two important partnerships with the College. First, I met with Dean Sylvia Yuen from the UH College of Tropical Agriculture to discuss ways we can provide strong pathways from KCC through the UH System. Second, the College hosted Robin Campaniano and Kay Fukunaga from the Ulupono Initiative. The Ulupono Initiative is social investment organization interested in improving the quality of life for island residents in three areas: more renewable energy, more locally produced food, and less waste. Robin and Kay spent an afternoon learning about our programs in agriculture, apiary, aquaculture, renewable energy, green construction, and more. When they left, they expressed interest in working with us on one or more projects in the future.

Performance
It’s once again time to look at our data to find out how we’ve been doing in areas such as enrollment, persistence, and granting degrees and certificates. On Wednesday April 13, at 2 pm in the Cafeteria, John Morton, Vice President for Community Colleges, will be on campus to discuss the data with us. A quick preview shows that we are doing well in some areas but not so well in others. For example, we are 66.5% above our current goal for Native Hawaiian enrollment and 85% above goal for the number of Pell financial aid recipients, but the percentage of Native Hawaiians persisting and earning degrees has dropped, as has enrollment of recent high school graduates. Analysis of this data will help us identify best practices and adopt new strategies in areas where we are weak.

Mahalo
Finally, a few thank yous. First, thank you for all the ongoing work being done on assessment and the accreditation self-study. This work provides us with a good picture of where we are and where we need to be. Second, thank you Kimo Perry and all those who worked so hard to make the Wai’ale’ale Project such a success its first year. Designed for students not considering college due to financial constraints, Wai’ale’ale students had a 71% success rate their first semester (overall GPA => 2.0), and 68% persisted to the next
semester. Given the background of these students this compares favorably to the success and persistence rate of the general student population. The success and persistence rate was even higher for Wai’ale’ale students who attended the Summer Bridge program or Introduction to College course. Finally, I want to offer a sincere mahalo to the students in Paul Hemmerla’s web design class, who took the time to evaluate our college website and provide constructive criticism on how to make it more dynamic and effective. I hope we will be able to implement some of their suggestions.

Posted by Chancellor Helen Cox

http://info.kauai.hawaii.edu/admin/chanc/index.htm

UH Sea Grant Opportunity for Faculty

Request for Proposals for UH Sea Grant 2012-2014 RFP - 01/19/2011 DEADLINE

The University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program is requesting preliminary proposals for funding available beginning February 1, 2012 and ending January 31, 2014. Application deadline is Wednesday, January 19, 2011. A typical award is $30,000/year but may range from $10,000 to $60,000 inclusive of indirect costs. Please view the UH Sea Grant RFP site at http://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/request-proposals.

University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program
2525 Correa Road, HIG 238
Honolulu, HI 96822
Phone: 808-956-7031
Fax: 808-956-3014

Summer Institute Opportunity for High School Students and Graduates

We had such a great interest last year, we thought we would get this out early this year. This is a great opportunity for secondary school students/graduates.  -MH

Apply now for 10 days of good food, great fun, and fantastic learning in our 2010 Culinary Summer Institute for students. This course is designed to expose high school students and 2010 graduates to the American Culinary Federation accredited Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kauai Community College. Through lectures, field trips and hands-on cooking experience, you will be exposed to culinary arts and the hospitality industry. You will also have the chance to work on building your math skills using computerized software.

The value of the class is over $2,000. However, studenets will be charged only $25. The remainder will be funded through a Carl Perkins Grant. Our goal is to strengthen the channel between the D.O.E. and the Community Colleges.

Only 10 seats are available, so apply early!
Summer Institute Instructors will be:

• Chef Martina Hilldorfer - Culinary Instructor, (808) 245-8265
• Mr. Billy Gibson - Dining Room & Math Instructor, (808) 245-8365

-----------------------
Martina C. Hilldorfer
Kauai Community College
808-245-8265

Available Grant from the Women's Campus Club

University of Hawaii
Women’s Campus Club Grants

The University Women’s Campus Club invites applications from the University of Hawaii community for funding of special projects for 2010. Proposals may be submitted by departments, organizations, programs, or by individuals associated with any of these on any of the UH campuses.

Priority is given to requests for projects that benefit a large number of students or other members of the University community, enhance the university community environment on any UH campus, and from programs or individuals that have not received major grants from the Women’s Campus Club in recent years. Requests should be brief, not more than two or three pages. State who will benefit from the grant, how it will be used and include a realistic budget. If the request is for partial support of a project, the budget should clearly state other sources of funds. Requests for support of individuals, salaries, wages, entertainment, and/or travel will not be considered. Since grants are awarded on an annual basis and no funds are held in reserve, supplementary request cannot be funded. Grants for 2010 will be announced in early February and funds will be released soon after that date. Approximately $17,000 was awarded in 2008. Individual grants rarely exceed $4,000.

Forms for proposals can be found at http://www.hawaii.edu/wcc.

All applications must be received by November 23, 2009. Five copies of proposals can be sent to:
June C. Naughton, Allocations Chair
Women’s Campus Club
Bachman Annex 2, UHM
Honolulu, HI 96822.

For more information, e-mail jnaught@hawaii.edu, or call 524- 2718.


WCC Grant 8/09

Faculty Mentoring

To KCC Faculty & Staff

Over the past two years, a small group of faculty has piloted a faculty mentoring program. During the pilot program, the focus was on transfer-level Liberal Arts majors. Based on positive feedback from the faculty mentors and mentees, we are “going mainstream” fall semester 2009. That means students and faculty in any program may be involved. The privilege of serving as a faculty mentor is not limited to teaching faculty; anyone wanting to be of service may become involved. If you are interested in serving as a mentor to one or more students, please read on.

The Faculty/Student Mentor Program (FSMP) is designed to

• provide students with additional academic support and encouragement
• increasing student engagement
• facilitate the accomplishment of their career and educational goals
• make college an exciting, fulfilling, and successful experience

Faculty Mentors are intended to serve as a student’s primary source of “specialization information”—the kind of information you have because of your education, work experience, or personal interest. Mentors provide students with real-world information and advice concerning their academic and career plans. For example, Faculty Mentors may be asked to provide answers to questions such as

• “what can I do with a degree in ___________?”
• “how can I submit my poetry for possible publication?”
• “I want to be a(n) _____________. What kinds of courses can help me prepare for that?”

Faculty Mentors may also refer students to Student Services advisors or other on- or off- campus resources. Faculty Mentors will have the freedom to plan activities that address students’ interests and needs—even group activities.

Students are matched with Faculty Mentors by academic majors, career goals and interests. Faculty are able to help the students integrate into campus life and assist their development as scholars in their academic majors, while the structured process provides a framework which makes it easier and less intimidating for students to obtain meaningful academic and personal support from faculty.

The responsibilities of Faculty Mentors are quite simple.

• You will be asked to meet with your assigned students at least three times during each semester—once by the third week of classes, and once again by the sixth week.
• A standardized reminder/"pep talk" letter will be mailed to students in anticipation of the course withdrawal date, urging students to contact their mentors if they are in difficulty.
• You will need to meet with your “mentees” at least once more before the end of the semester, even if they have not contacted you regarding the withdrawal date reminder letter.
• You will not have to write or file any reports other than simply letting us know how often you have met with each student during each semester.

When you decide to become a Faculty Mentor, let me know via phone (x 326) or email (kdc@hawaii.edu). I will follow up by having you fill out a “bio sheet” which will provide me with information I need to serve as “matchmaker.” (Yes—it’s kind of like a dating service!)

I look forward to hearing from you.

Ken Curtis, Title III Coordinator