Kalihi Education Coalition

BACKROUND/HISTORY

The Kalihi Education Coalition (KEC) was established in March 2002 by a collaboration of active and caring members of the community including businesses, educators, and community leaders.

The KEC incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Hawaii on June 5, 2002 and filed its application for federal non-profit designation on June 11, 2003 with the assistance and support of Morris Atta, attorney (New York University – School of Law).   KEC received its federal non-profit designation from the IRS on July 16, 2003.

The KEC currently consists of non-paid volunteers with heart and passion for education.   Our members are actively involved in and focused on creating and securing the future success of students in the Kalihi District.  It is our belief that all children can learn and be successful in life.

KEC VISION STATEMENT

By carrying out our Mission, we believe that students in the Kalihi District will become:

KEC LOGO

 

 

 

The KEC logo represents the uplifting and uniting of people to a higher goal.   The mountains surrounding Kalihi Valley are represented with people reaching the peak of the summit, visually showing the rewards that lie ahead when positive steps are taken.   The sun breaking over the mountains is a positive symbol and that dawn is a new day for new beginnings.

The typeface is very bold and slightly stylized to show that this organization has what it takes to complete the charter and mission that is set forth.   This logo was created by Andrew Cha.

KEC NEEDS STATEMENT

The 2000 Census data indicate that the per capita income in this community was $10,672, as comparted to the State average of $14,653; with 22.8% of families with children living in poverty, The Statewide average being 11.2%; 26.4% of families with children headed by a single mother, as compared with 18.3% for the State; 31.3% of the adults have not completed high school as compared to 15.4% for the State; 17.1% of households receive public assistance, as opposed to 7.6% statewide. (Source: 2003-2004 Hawaii State DOE School Status and Improvement Report)

Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School, a public high school with the highest student population in Hawaii, has served for over 65 years and support eleven feeder campuses that reside in the Kalihi-Palama District. The ethnic population of these feeder campuses vary from FHS's mix, with those campuses close to major housing projects possessing a significantly higher percentage of Samoan and part-Hawaiian students.

Data from the end of FHS's year 2003-04 showed that more than half the students at the school (59.0%) are Filipino. The Samoan population is 13.6%; the part-Hawaiian 9.6%, and Hawaiian, 2.5%; Japanese 1.6%; White 1.5%; Hispanic 0.9%; Indo-Chinese 0.8%; Portuguese 0.6%; Chinese 0.6%; Black 0.3%; Korean 0.1%. The "All Others" category registered 8.8% of FHS's student population.

Overall, 19.1% of FHS's students possess limited English proficiency and 63.5 % of students currently receive free or reduced-cost lunches.