Over 200 Lānaʻi students have taken at least one college course during high school over the past decade, and seven students have earned an associate's degree while completing their high school education, all tuition-free.
That's thanks to a dual credit program from Pūlama Lānaʻi and the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
Pam Alconcel is an associate professor at the Lānaʻi Education Center, which is the only post-secondary educational institute on the island.
She said the dual credit program started 10 years ago through discussions between Pūlama Lānaʻi, UH Maui College, and Lānaʻi High and Elementary School.
“We felt like there was a need for a way for help our students to do more career exploration, college exploration, and also being able to be more civic-minded and giving back to their community. So the idea was career, college and community — try to build that kind of culture within our students," she said.
Fifteen high school seniors who participated in the program were honored at a scholarship ceremony this past month.
To learn more about the Lānaʻi Education Center, click here.
