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Kapiʻolani CC and UH Mānoa faculty and students work to inspire educational attainment amongst the residents of Pālolo Valley Homes. (Photo courtesy Kapiʻolani Community College)

A service learning program that began 15 years ago as a way to promote technological literacy, educational interest and civic engagement amongst the residents of Pālolo Valley Homes has grown phenomenally into an effort that is recognized nationally as a model for service learning and community engagement.

Kapiʻolani Community College Professor Judith Kirkpatrick and Ulla Hasager, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa civic engagement specialist, recently co-authored an article entitled “Partnerships for Learning and Community at Pālolo Valley Homes” that chronicles the Pālolo Pipeline Program and its successful results.

The article was published in the winter 2013 issue of Diversity and Democracy by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The Pālolo Pipeline Program is featured in the issue among examples of creative leadership and action that advance higher education’s civic purposes through transformative partnerships, both at home and abroad.

In the article, Kirkpatrick and Hasager trace the labor of their love beginning with low-income Hawaiian, Samoan and Micronesian families and children from the community who attend Pālolo Elementary and Jarrett Middle School. In 15 years, this educational pipeline has sent 52 residents to college in addition to gaining national recognition.

One of those residents is Stephen Maybir, who also authors an article in the publication entitled “Learning Collaboration from and for My Community.” Maybir writes about how he benefited from the program, which is a partnership of Kapiʻolani Community College, UH Mānoa and other community organizations and businesses.

Read the articles in Diversity and Democracy.

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