2020 Virtual Reader

During this time of COVID-19, our volunteer readers continue to give back to the community by connecting with children virtually.

HONOLULU, HAWAII. Patricia Munoz “Aunty Pat”, Volunteer: Reading to children via Zoom has been both a little awkward and remarkable. Kristen Eastevedt (Teacher of the Year in her District!) does an impressive job of scheduling and corralling her students for Zoom story time with me. I join ongoing classes twice on the day I visit and Kristen helps facilitate the greetings, names and Q&As afterwards.

Zoom allows the children to get up close to and be curious about the books I'm reading because I am able to fill their home screen with the book pages while I read and am visible on the side bar. I do this by uploading the book I read onto my computer and screen sharing the book pages. If the kids want the pictures/pages bigger or smaller I can accommodate this. To accomplish this I use the feature that you showed me to scan and upload the books onto my desktop! Thank you Catherine

While I miss the person-to-kid interaction and connections that happen in the classroom, I find the level of engagement (by the kids) with the screen encouraging, especially if the child is shy to begin with. So I try to share big colorful books and use make believe ("hey, can you reach in and touch the dragon on the screen?") when I read.

Another down side of Zoom reading is that I only see or engage with a small group of students (3-10) and they are easily distracted by the activity around them @home. But this too has had some plus sides when parents or older siblings get involved.

MESSAGE: From Hauula Elementary- Ms. Kristen Eastvedt -PreK Teacher

This experience has been such a joy for my student's and me! Story time with Aunty Pat is always an anticipated event. The students are very engaged and love her stories and "friends" that she brings along during story time. I teach at a Title 1 school, and the student's have benefitted from the books that are donated. It is such a special time when they receive their very own books from Aunty Pat to keep and share with their families.

During COVID 19 school closures, Aunty Pat has joined our Webex meetings to continue story time. The students are highly engaged as usual! She selects the perfect books that students are interested in. They spark their imagination and students are able to make connections and inferences.

Mahalo nui loa for this amazing program that helps bring books alive to students, even during this pandemic.

2nd Annual Aloha Books

KANEOHE, HAWAII. The 2nd Annual Aloha Books Kick-Off Event was held at Kaneohe Elementary School. The 5th graders opened the ceremony with a special oli. Principal Derek Minakami welcomed guests, parents and the first recipients of this years giving the Kindergartners and Head Start students. Mom Akaka presented each student with a new book and in closing, Courtney Mattson danced to Hawaiian Lullaby.


A special thanks to Kaneohe EL for hosting this years kick off event and providing refreshments. Mahalo to Mercedes, Erin and Courtney for baking cookies, and all other volunteers - Akoni, Catherine, Ekolu, Emily, Danielle, David, Gabrielle, HCAP Staff, Joe and Elan for flying books, Karen, Kea, Lena, Lois, Millannie, Natalie, Nick, Pat, Rosa, Rose for helping the presentation and distributions and Young Brothers for shipping books to Maui kids. A Big MAHALO to Simon & Schuster for your continued support! MAHALO EVERYONE!

2019 Spring Distributions

HONOLULU, HAWAII. Ohana100 volunteers wrapped up the school year of reading with over 1300 children from 35 programs around the Island of Oahu. They were showered with flower leis, thank you notes and warm hugs! Mahalo Nui Loa Ohana100 Hawaii Team!

Here are some of our programs and the volunteers that serviced them!

Janet at Lihikai EL in Maui, Rose at Fisher House, Ren, Bryan, Stella and Ryan (Roosevelt HS ROTC volunteers) at Lanakila, Kathy at Enchanted Lake and Maunawili HS, Natalie at Ewa EL, and Sandra at Heeia and Kaewai, Pauoa EL& HS.

Our volunteers continue to change lives and make reading so much fun!!! Have a wonderful Summer break and see you back in September!!

MAHALO IGLESIA NI CRISTO

HONOLULU, HAWAII. MAHALO IGLESIA NI CRISTO (Church of Christ) members for supporting our literacy mission and for your generous donation of 847 books to benefit many children across the state.


The Iglesia ni Cristo congregations hosted a Film Festival on April 14 at Farrington High School. Gently used and new books were collected to benefit Ohana100. Volunteers of Ohana100 Rose Leong, Karen Scharfenstein and Beth Ismail were present to receive this certificate and books. EAGLE NEWS

2018 ALOHA BOOKS

HONOLULU, HAWAII. ALOHA BOOKS INAUGURAL EVENT was held @ PAUOA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL on AUGUST 10, 2018.  Ohana100’s newest project gifted a free new book to kindergartners at charter and public schools throughout the State of Hawaii. It also provided books to children in Head Start and social services programs throughout the state.

We dedicated the Aloha Books Project in remembrance of Senator Daniel Akaka who was an educator, a proud public servant and our grandfather. He believed strongly in the importance of literacy and the value of a good education.

SPECIAL THANKS

Mahalo to all our partners and volunteers who worked very hard to process and deliver Aloha Books to children across the State of Hawaii.   

Mahalo to our friends at Simon & Schuster for believing in our literacy mission! Mahalo to Grant Kogami - HCAP for donating space to house and process the 20,000 Aloha Books. Mahalo to Dale Arakaki and all Pahoa Staff for hosting our 1st Aloha Books Kick-off Event. Thanks to Walmart stores for transporting books to the neighbor islands. Mahalo to Heinz and Joe for flying books to Maui. Mahalo to host sites Stacy Brown -Family Support Hawaii on the Big Island, Jason Yoshida - King Kaumualii EL on Kauai and Rosa Stone - Lihikai EL on Maui who provided support and deliveries of books on the ground in the neighbor islands.

Mahalo to our Ohana100 Team! Mary Akaka, Gabrielle Alo, Cody Ancheta, Esmenio & Roselily Andres, Dale Arakaki, Stacy Brown, Lynn Cabato, Theresia Charley, Frenchie Coffinet-Smith, Heinz deCouet, Heidi Fowler, Christy Furukawa, Tiana Ganiko, Lena Goto, HCAP Staff, Bryan & Charmaine Ilar, Beth Ismail, Sheena Juliano, Joe Kiefer, Grant Kogami, Tiare Lando, Rose Leong, Catherine Mattson, Courtney Mattson, David Mattson Sr., Aaron Mahi, Patricia Munoz, Stephanie Okabe, Patricia Oshiro, PAUOA EL Faculty, Staff & Parents, Lyra Panarigan, Julian Ramirez, Karen Scharfenstein, Victoria Soriano, Rosa Stone, Sandra Taga, Lois Tagami, Curren Tagami, Karen Tengan, Kayla Ueshiro, Walmart Stores- Hilo, Kona, Maui & Kauai, Jason Yoshida, Alyssa Young, Natalie Young & Yasmine Young.









2017 HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR KEIKI'S

HONOLULU, HAWAII. Ohana100 Ambassadors were able to spread the joy of giving this holiday with special books for their students.  Volunteers read with children on the north side of the island in Kaneohe and Waimanalo. They read with children the central areas of Wahiawa, Kunia, Aiea, Pearl City, Waipahu, west in Ewa and Nanakuli, and also many programs in Honolulu.  See the joy of giving throughout the Island of Oahu. GO ! READ

Volunteers gathered for the Annual Family Volunteer Day event to help process and distribute books to children. Mahalo to all our dedicated volunteers!  Thank you for taking time out of your schedule and for making things happen for Hawaii’s Keiki!

 

Ohana 100 and HCAP Head Start Work Together to Build Champions for Reading

HCAP WEEKLY August 2016

MAKING A DIFFERENCE DAY

Ohana100 volunteers celebrated MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY on Saturday, October 28th at several libraries (Waianae, Kapolei, Waipahu, Salt Lake/Moanaloa, Liliha and Waimanalo), around the Island of Oahu.  

 

Volunteers read with the children and engaged in arts of craft activities.  At the end of the activity each child received a free new book!  Mahalo to participating libraries for allowing Ohana100 volunteers time and space engage families and their children. GO READ

 

Celebrating NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH

Kicking off the new school year and celebrating National Literacy month, Ohana100 President David Mattson distributed books to kids at Pauoa and Pohakea Elementary Schools.  Volunteer Sandy joined him at Pauoa where she read with the kindergarteners. 

He was joined by volunteers Gabrielle and Adam who read with Head Start children and kindergarteners and Pa Akaka who helped with the distribution of books.  Also, students showered Pa Akaka with handmade lei's to celebrate his 93rd birthday!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY PA!
GO! READ PAUOA & POHAKEA!!!!

KDWT Gives Big This Summer

HONOLULU, HAWAII. Ohana100 youth volunteers (KDWT) participated in a week long of activities at the 1st Summer Service Camp. They planned and organized activities, as well serviced community programs, earning up to 30 hours.

In preparation for community outreach, KDWT visited the State Library.  They searched for books to read and practiced reading the stories.  They visited the State Capitol and had lunch on the lawn of Iolani Palace, learned about this historical site. 

Featured guest speaker talked about the importance of public speaking and Ms. Karen who talked about props for the stories they read.  The volunteers also learned how to sew a pillow case, all for Maui kids. They made 40 Aloha Pillows cases and stamped 1,000 new books.   

Our youth leaders also read to and distributed books to 120 preschoolers at Seagulls Preschool in Honolulu, to women and children of the Salvation Army Nursery program and to the Diamond Head preschool kids. 

Thank you to Pa Akaka, Ms. Karen, Ms. Lacy,  Pop Mattson and Ms. Lorraine for your support and helping out with our week long program.  Thank you to Watanabe Florist and Akaka/Mattson Family for donating flowers.

Congratulations to all KDWT Ambassadors for doing an Outstanding job in serving our community!!!!!!!!