Our recent Request for Partnership sought to identify Hawai’i public high schools that wish to strengthen transition pathways to help students learn more about how to Enlist, Employ or Explore. We specifically looked for school partners who are deeply concerned about life after high school and eager to test innovative ideas targeting students, particularly 11th and 12th grade students.
We encouraged applicants to be as creative as possible and prioritized applicants that demonstrated a clear understanding of how to sustain efforts beyond the life of the grant.
Congratulations to the following schools that were selected for this opportunity:
Kealakehe High School
The main goal of the grant request is to design a senior capstone experience that will allow students to explore career interests, engage with industry professionals, and develop actionable plans for their future. The school plans to achieve this by providing structured opportunities for seniors, including access to post-high school education. They will know they are successful if students are better able to clarify their career paths and feel equipped with the skills and confidence needed to navigate the workforce. An estimated 65 students will receive support to purchase equipment, certifications, or other resources essential for their career path.
Hilo High School
The project aims to support graduates who are unsure about their post-high school plans by offering real-world experiences, personalized guidance, and ongoing support throughout their transition. Strategies include workshops on college applications, scholarships, career fairs, apprenticeships, and work-based learning opportunities, with a focus on building a standardized system for post-high school planning. Staff will follow alumni through the summertime and into the first fall after graduation. The project expects to improve student engagement, ensure 100% completion of personal transition plans, and help over 90% of students actively pursue their post-graduation goals by fall 2026.
Kailua High
In 2023, the school’s college-going rate grew to 60%, one of the closest to the state goal of 65%. With a native Hawaiian population of 49 percent, the project seeks to engage the entire ‘ohana around career exploration and preparation. Specifically, juniors who are not college bound will meet monthly with at least one parent or guardian to complete a career exploration curriculum. In the Fall, they will complete a certification together. The result will be a more detailed transition plan. Other indicators of success will be increased attendance and family engagement and a stronger sense of belonging.
Kapolei High
For the Class of 2024, 62 percent of students intend to enroll in a two- or four-year college, 8 percent intend to enlist in the military, 15 percent intend to work either part or full-time in the workforce, and 15 percent are unsure of their post-high school plans. This project aims to improve post-high school outcomes by increasing college enrollment, military readiness, workforce development, and post-secondary planning. Strategies include mandatory college application workshops, military recruitment events, career certifications, and personalized guidance through platforms like YouScience. Students will then complete a capstone e-portfolio and detailed transition plan. The project is expected to impact around 1,000 students, enhancing their readiness for higher education, military service, or the workforce.
Molokai High & Intermediate
The project aims to enhance career exposure and opportunities for students by providing funding for inter-island travel to career-related events, college fairs, and industry-specific experiences. The strategy includes implementing a more robust Personal Transition Plan (PTP) based on their newly developed badging system that incorporates career exploration, work experiences, and community service while expanding career pathway visibility through travel and local partnerships. This initiative will increase access to post-high school opportunities for 341 students, helping them develop critical skills, earn industry certifications, and improve college persistence rates.
Waiakea High
The “Uplifting Non-Degree Careers for Waiakea Graduates” project aims to increase student success in non-degree careers by enhancing career exposure and readiness, especially in high-demand fields on the Big Island. Specifically, teachers will complete externships in industries that do not require a 4-year degree and then be provided time to incorporate these careers and related soft skills into their curricula. Other strategies include offering career exploration activities and creating soft-skills assessments to integrate into students’ Personal Transition Plans. The project will improve both student career readiness and teacher knowledge of non-degree pathways, resulting in a more skilled local workforce and better career outcomes for Waiakea graduates.
Why the Post-Secondary Transition RFP?
Hawaii’s high cost of living means young people must make smart choices, ones that help them to be upwardly mobile. Recent research shows that graduating from the University of Hawaii results in higher lifetime earnings. But not all high school graduates are willing to enroll. For them, the upwardly mobile life choices are far from clear.
How can we improve access points for students to receive information about the full range of available post-high school options, and guide them towards a path with a reasonable chance of upward mobility?
High schools can and should do far more to help students in the 11th and 12th grade think about their future transition after high school and guide them to either:
Enroll – apply for and attend college;
Enlist – join the military;
Employ – have the credentials and skills for immediate employment in a living wage job; or
Explore – continue career exploration through an internship, apprenticeship or work based learning.
By increasing the number of high school graduates with a clear plan, we will see more students that graduate from college, join the armed forces, apprentice in the skilled trades, or find an entry-level job where there is a real chance at advancement and upward mobility. In short, young people in Hawaii can have a greater sense of hope for the future.
Compared to a decade ago in Hawaii, there are far more resources and information to guide young people to enroll in college, but limited support to help students to learn about and pursue the remaining options.