Kauluwela Elementary seeks funding to offer Challenge Island Oahu S.T.E.A.M In school Field trips to the children who attend their school.

Due to a political treaty called COFA, the families of immigrant US Citizens from Chuukese and Micronesian are denied access to important federally funded programs such as TANF and Medicaid. Their forced relocation and subsequent poverty created a social stigma and are shunned and ostracized by the local Hawaiians. This unfortunate political situation trickles down to innocent children and the cycle of poverty lives on. A STEM/STEAM grant approval will be used to support these elementary students who, through no fault of their own, need timely support. By bringing the Challenge Island STEAM enrichment to the school, we hope to increase attendance, embrace academic standards, increase confidence in learning, and help these children to keep up with important 21st Century learning skills that face their generation.

Challenge Island is a cross-curricular learning program designed to engage kids in the engineering process. Using NGSS and CC standards, we provide a creative space for children to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to complete S.T.E.A.M. based challenges. By adding the Arts to STEM, Challenge Island acts as a gateway for increased learning with fun themed motivation and increases participation even from those keiki who don’t see themselves as math or science kids. When creativity increases, the process of learning combines to innovate young engineers. Challenge Island S.T.E.A.M lessons engage both girls and boys at an early age.

Studies have shown that by adding the ARTS to STEM we can increase creativity and confidence thus encouraging the underrepresented students to grasp important academic standards at a younger age. Investing in our youth is the best way to change the cycle of hardship that has plagued these families.