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Teen earns interfaith alliance award
A 13-year old girl who works with the disabled will receive The Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i Flame of Hope award at the organization’s 11th annual community awards dinner, set for Oct. 13 at Nuuanu Congregational Church.
The recipient, Ella Lacanienta, is a Punahou School student who works with the John 17:21 Ministry, an interfaith effort that assists persons with disabilities in a monthly worship and fellowship program based at Wesley United Methodist Church. The teen is also part of the "Youth on the Move" ministry at Central Union Church.
This year’s event theme is "Compassionate Leadership for the 21st Century: The Next Generation."
Other recipients of the alliance’s 2013 community awards include:
» Healing Role in Hawaii: Da Moms provides support for parents and families of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender individuals. The group is led by Josephine Chang and Susan Roth.
» Encouraging Non-Violent Civic Participation: Mental Health America of Hawaii focuses on prevention programs in schools and various organizations that address issues linked to youth suicide and bullying. Its director is Antonia Alvarez.
» Facilitating Community Activism: Hawaii Youth Services Network, directed by Judith Clark, has developed collaborative programs that offer teen pregnancy prevention, suicide prevention and shelter for runaway and homeless youth.
» Challenging Religious or Political Extremism: First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, under the Rev. Jonipher Kwong, has led other faith groups to support a proposal for a marriage equality initiative in Hawaii.
The Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i’s annual dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. The event is open to the public, but reservations are required by emailing fordhamh001@hawaii.rr. com or interfaithalliancehawaii@hawaii.rr.com.
Funds help school expand ELC, campus
St. John Vianney School in Kailua recently received a $15,000 grant from the Atherton Family Foundation and $25,000 from the Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation to expand the school’s Early Learning Center with construction, supplies, teaching tools and books.
"Statistics prove there is a need for another high quality 3-year-old early learning school in the Kailua and Waimanalo area," said Earl Walker, school board member, in a news release.
Construction has wrapped up, and the facility is slated to open Oct. 14. The center is now enrolling children.
In addition, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation recently awarded the school $30,000 for a science classroom-lab for middle-school students. The classroom-lab will also open Oct. 14.
"Having a new classroom-lab specifically for science with the proper equipment and programs will help students of Windward Oahu reach a higher achievement in science and prepare them to be future leaders in our community," said Caryn DeMello, the school’s new principal.
For information, visit www.sjvkailua.org.
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COURTESY JOY LACANIENTA