Kamehameha Schools is helping to make college affordable and accessible for Wai‘anae Coast students by hosting free Financial Aid One-Stop-Shop sessions on February 14 and March 21 at its Community Learning Center at Nānākuli.

Current high school seniors, college students and their ‘ohana are invited to drop in anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to get help with their Kamehameha Schools and Pauahi Foundation financial aid applications and to learn about other college resources.

Attendees will receive valuable one-on-one help completing their FAFSA (free application for student aid) and CSS Profile for KS’ Nā Ho‘okama a Pauahi need-based scholarship. 

This is the fourth year that KS is offering the sessions at CLCN. Over that time, a host of community organizations have rallied together to align resources and services to increase the number of students from the Wai‘anae Coast that complete the college financial aid process.

Last year, 247 participants sought assistance through the one-stop-shop, completing 270 processes (from FAFSA to registering for Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center).

Required documents
Students should bring the required documents for help with each of the following applications:

FAFSA – Bring a completed 2014 federal income tax return and a social security card, driver’s license or state ID.

CSS/Profile and Nā Ho‘okama Scholarship – Bring a completed 2014 tax return and:

• If you are a new college applicant bring one of the following: 2015-16 college application, acceptance letter or acknowledgement notice from a college or university of admission application.
   
• If you are continuing at the same college for 2015-2016, bring one of the following: 2014-15 college class schedule or unofficial college transcript

The deadline for the Nā Ho‘okama a Pauahi scholarship application is April 20, 2015.

Assistance with registering with Kamehameha Schools’ Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center will also be provided at the one-stop-shop for anyone interested in help with this service. Families should bring original birth certificates for the applicant, showing at least one parent and grandparent (from the same side of the family) with Hawaiian ancestry.

Free continental breakfast, snacks and lunch will be provided to all who attend, as well as free childcare for keiki. If you have any questions, call 534-8258 or email kapua@ksbe.edu.

CLCN is located at 89-101 Farrington Hwy., next to Ka Waihona o ka Na‘auao Public Charter School. For more information, call 668-1517 or visit KS’ Ka Pua Initiative website.

For the February 14 One-Stop-Shop, the Pauahi Foundation will hold a workshop to inform students and families on the scholarship application process and students can start an application with support from Pauahi Foundation staff. Online scholarship applications will be accepted through March 20. Visit the foundation’s website, email scholarships@pauahi.org or call 808-534-3966 for more information.

For families who can’t make it to the events, there are staff who will hold extended hours on Wednesdays (until April 22) from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursdays (until April 23rd) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Community Learning Center at Nānākuli to provide assistance with the CSS Profile and Nā Ho‘okama a Pauahi Scholarship applications. 

KS Post-High Counselor Che Sabol (left) helps one of the more than 150 students who attended the two financial aid workshops held last year.

KS Resource Center coordinator Kini Pihana (left) speaks with one of the workshop attendees.

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ka pua,post-high counseling,financial aid,college,scholarships

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