Education briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Volunteer efforts help homeless
Mililani High School's Key Club completed 100 hours of volunteer work last semester to benefit the Institute for Human Services — and in the process earned a $5,000 donation to O'ahu's emergency homeless shelter from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
The Mililani High students coordinated a most-needed-items drive among their classmates, threw a Halloween party for the children whose families live at IHS, cleaned and sorted donated clothing and led the IHS children in a Christmas crafts morning.
Through the Weinberg Foundation's Educating the Heart project, the students earn a cash contribution for charity if they work on a school-approved community service that benefits Hawai'i's poor and needy.
IHS will use the gift to help provide permanent housing for the homeless, IHS executive director Lynn Maunakea said.
The same day the Mililani students worked on the Christmas crafts, the Weinberg Foundation presented an additional $100,000 check to IHS.
Legion contest set for Feb. 15
The American Legion Department of Hawai'i will hold the National High School Oratorical Contest Feb. 15 at the Pagoda Hotel.
Students can receive cash awards between $50 and $500 at the contest, which tries to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the Constitution, leadership skills, communication skills and a better understanding of American citizenship.
The American Legion will pay for the winner's travel to the national contest at Purdue University in Indiana, where students will compete for college scholarships of up to $18,000.
Participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Students interested in learning more about the contest can call 946-6383, fax 947-3957 or e-mail aldepthi@hawaii.rr.com.
College financing program planned
A free program called "Smart ways to fund your child's college education" will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Kapolei Public Library.
The financial strategies presentation will be given by Chad Adams, financial adviser for American Express. Parents and students who plan to attend college are invited to attend the 45-minute program.
Topics include determining the costs of college, college planning, education IRAs, competing for scholarships and "529" plans. The program will end with a question-and-answer session.
To request a sign language interpreter, call library development services at 831-6878.
Kapolei Public Library at 1015 Haumea St., at the corner of Haumea and Manawai streets.
Education group in new office
The Honolulu office of Pacific Resources for Education and Learning relocated at the beginning of the month.
PREL's new address is 900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1300, Honolulu, 96813. The phone number is 441-1300.
PREL is a nonprofit organization that provides research-based education services. PREL's programs include the federally financed Pacific Regional Educational Laboratory, which focuses on literacy, and the NEARStar program, which provides multimedia beginning reading instruction for English learners via game-like learning activities delivered over the Internet.
