and I have had the pleasure of chairing Ready to Learn, a program which provides basic school supplies to needy children throughout the State of Hawaii. All children, regardless of income level, should begin school with new supplies and their
and I have had the pleasure of chairing Ready to Learn, a program which
provides basic school supplies to needy children throughout the State of
Hawaii. All children, regardless of income level, should begin school with new
supplies and their heads held high, knowing that they have the tools to excel
and succeed in school.
Under the auspices of Helping Hands Hawaii, a
private non-profit organization, we collected and purchased supplies for about
25,000 children from Ni’ihau to Nanakuli to Naalehu this year. As a part of our
program, bulk supplies were also shipped to the neediest schools, to homeless
and domestic violence shelters, as well as other support agencies. Run entirely
by an army of dedicated volunteers and generous contributions, the secret to
Ready to Learn’s success is its simplicity and inclusiveness. Everyone in our
community can participate, whether in time, sweat, cash or a contribution of
supplies. A pencil here, a tablet here and before you know it, we’ve got an
inventory.
Even in 1998, when our economy was stagnant, and many were
struggling to make ends meet, the willingness to give and share was
heartwarming. It spoke to the aloha of our people. There were parents who, in
addition to outfitting their own children, bought a few extra tablets, or an
additional box of crayons for a child that they will never meet. There were
others, everyday people, who walked in and gave of their time to pack supplies
destined for children on Molokai or in Hana, places they have never been.
Students from public and private schools stepped forward to be counted, and to
help count thousands of supplies, knowing the importance of these tools to
succeeding in school.
But, what truly melts your heart is the expression
on the faces of the children receiving the supplies. Great big smiles at the
new sets of colored markers and crayons. Warm hugs for a helping hand. All that
we asked in return was that they try their best and study hard, and they were
off.
I share this with you to demonstrate, notwithstanding the cynicism
that at times looms around us like a dark cloud, we are a community that
preserves during difficult times, but does not forget that there are those
whose needs may be even greater than our own. I am very proud of our
community’s willingness to share its resources, no matter how limited, with
others. It truly makes a difference.
Another motivation for Ready to Learn
is to help reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of our teachers by helping more
children report to school with the required supplies. Teachers do an
outstanding job, oftentimes, with few resources They are many of our
community’s most unsung heroes. In light of our changing times, they are called
upon to serve other roles, such as counselors, social worker and caregiver,
without sufficient resources or compensation.
When Ready to Learn was
initiated, a simple question was raised: Should the supplies be given to the
children or the teachers? While there were compelling arguments made on both
sides, we opted to place the highest priority on the needy children receiving
not only a bag of school supplies, but tucked in that bag a dose of self-pride
and an optimism about learning. However, at the end of each campaign,
additional supplies are also given to the neediest schools, statewide in an
effort to share our extra resources directly with the teachers.
Discussions are ongoing between Ready to Learn and the Department of
Education, as we are always looking for ways to improve our program. We need to
strike to balance between parents, supply expenses and teachers, out-of-pocket
cost while at the same time providing children with the tools they need to
succeed in school.
Trite but true, investing in education is the wisest
move we as a community collectively can make. Our educators construct the very
building blocks of the next generation of adults and leaders of our State – not
only in academics, but also in a core foundation of values, critical to a
harmonious society.
Our community is to be applauded and encouraged. They
have stepped forward and shared what resources they had, whether through Ready
to Learn or through their companies, organizations or as individuals. All
efforts are important. They bring the community back into the schools, and they
help to provide the basic tools for children to enter school prepared and ready
to learn.
So just when you think that your small contribution of gift of
time doesn’t make a difference, please think again. From the thousands of
smiles and promise to study hard, who knows, we may just be supporting a future
astronaut, doctor, computer engineer, governor or all-around terrific mother.
It truly makes a difference.
