{"id":101193,"date":"2019-08-12T16:10:53","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T02:10:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=101193"},"modified":"2020-08-07T13:44:00","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T23:44:00","slug":"waialeale-project-celebrates-10-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2019\/08\/12\/waialeale-project-celebrates-10-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Wai\u02bbale\u02bbale Project celebrates 10 years of transforming lives at Kaua\u02bbi CC<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"Waialeale<\/p>\n

The black and white letters dangling from the ceiling that spelled “Waiʻaleʻale<\/span> Celebration“ contained a surprise. At the end of a joyful gathering in July to mark the pioneering project\u2019s 10-year milestone, the words expanded into pastel paper chains featuring the faces of hundreds of Kauaʻi<\/span> Community College<\/a> students whose lives have been forever changed by the Waiʻaleʻale<\/span> Project.<\/p>\n

Since 2010, the transformational project has served 786 students, ages 18–66, who would not otherwise have gone to college due to financial, personal or academic obstacles. The project seeks out non-college-bound students through community partners and referrers. In addition to scholarships and academic support, Waiʻaleʻale<\/span> provides a supportive learning environment with peer mentors to help participants succeed, creating a multi-generational movement.<\/p>\n

\"Waialeale<\/a>
Lisa Rapozo, second from left<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lisa Rapozo<\/strong> lost her government job in 2008 through a reduction in force. She joined the Waiʻaleʻale<\/span> Project\u2019s first cohort in 2010 and earned her associate\u2019s degree in liberal arts from Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> in 2013. Rapozo said she had been out of school for many years and feared she would not be able to balance everything out. The project put her fears to rest.<\/p>\n