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Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii - Na
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na
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kuli | Community
T
here’s a classic African proverb that says, “It takes
a village to raise a child.” It is this simple phrase
that aptly describes the underlying philosophy the
staff of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii NFL Youth
Education Town (YET) clubhouse in Nānākuli abides by.
“We actively cultivate supportive relationships to
make sure every member, in some way, shape or form,
feels connected to others,” explains Kekoa Tupua, NFL
YET program director, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii
(BGCH)– Nānākuli. “Our goal is to demonstrate
warmth, care, appreciation, acceptance and provide
guidance in their interactions with peers.”
The young members, who range from age 7 to 17,
have affectionately coined the Nānākuli clubhouse
“Second Home, No Drama,” which paints a positive
perception of it as a home away from home. The after-
school hours between 3 and 7 p.m. can be a critical
time, for youth left unsupervised often contribute to
alarming statistics of juvenile crime, teenage pregnancy
and substance abuse. This is where Boys & Girls Club of
Hawaii – Nānākuli comes in. They offer keiki (children) a
safe and positive environment with caring adult mentors
and enriching after school and intercession programs.
The club reaches kids most in need with outcome-driven
activities designed to increase their performance in areas
of education, health and character development. Research
shows that when kids attend more frequently, impact
grows substantially.
Tupua comments, “The kids don’t want to leave
right away and can’t wait to come back the next day.
A positive experience for them could be as simple as
listening and talking story, [or] having fun with the
most extreme science experiment. We see it on their
faces as they come in the door. Each kid feels a strong
sense of belonging. It’s a place that fosters a family
atmosphere and gives them a sense of ownership.”
Regional director of the Leeward O‘ahu area, Claudia
“Lala” Fernandez, adds, “The club creates a fun and engaging
environment that keeps the kids coming back.”
One such feature is the Multimedia Program at the
Nānākuli Clubhouse, which encourages creative self-
expression through the technology of sound engineering
and video production, and helps provide career
development opportunities for youths. The program led
three enterprising sixth-graders to team up and create a
public service announcement (PSA) titled, “Do You Still
Wanna Smoke a Cigarette?” highlighting the hazards of
cigarette smoking. To their pleasant surprise, the entry was
selected as one of three finalists in the ‘Olelo Community
Media Youth Xchange 2016 Video Competition in the
Elementary School Division PSA category. The students,
Leimomi Nera, Kekai Seumanutafa and Lucas Cuadrado,
from Nānāikapono Elementary School were thrilled to
be invited to the showcase event with 800 students and
One Hundred
Year s of Fortitude
By Nancy Usui | Photos by Kyle Rothenborg
Nānākuli’s youth thrive thanks to Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii.

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teachers in attendance. More than 900 entries from across
the state were submitted by elementary through high
school students. Despite not winning the competition,
recognition as a finalist instilled a positive “can-do” attitude
and inspired a sense of pride in the students and their
fellow clubhouse members.
The Nānākuli Clubhouse offers a diverse range
of activities, from academic core subject instruction
to culture-based activities with local partners such as
Ka‘ala Farm, to family events such as ‘Ohana (family)
Nights, which entail a potluck dinner, family games and
recognition of youth achievements. The Legacy Program, a
family strengthening program that emphasizes basic family
values, developing family management skills and making
healthy lifestyle choices, is an opportunity to enrich family
relationships. Through quarterly ‘Ohana Nights, families
have an opportunity to honor the rich diversity of cultures
in Hawai‘i.
In addition, youth participants are involved in
community service learning projects such as Hale Ola
food distribution, serving Thanksgiving meals, organizing
beach and stream cleanups, local mural art projects, serving
elderly in rehabilitation nursing homes and working with
youths in low-income housing projects. Other activities
target five core program areas: Character & Leadership
Development, Sports Fitness & Recreation, The Arts, Health
& Life Skills and Education & Career Development. These
programs and high-yield learning activities are based on
national Boys & Girls Club of America curriculum.
Both directors Tupua and Fernandez hail from the
Wai‘anae Clubhouse, where they were involved as members
during their elementary and intermediate school years.
Tupua’s father served as athletic director at the Wai‘anae
Clubhouse and he was inspired by his father’s influence
on youngsters. “I’ve been a part of the Leeward Coast my
entire life,” Tupua says.
“It’s always been stereotyped as a negative place, but I
believe we are the most positive forces to be reckoned with.”
He pauses, “After two weeks on the job, I knew I was going
to be here for a long time.”
Fernandez was also born and raised on the Wai‘anae
Coast. “I’ve always had a passion to work with youth
and was excited for the opportunity to work in my
own community. It’s been 11 years and I’m here to
serve. We’re the only youth-serving organization in the
Nānākuli community for kids from 7 to 17, and we offer
opportunities and experiences they would not normally get.”
In 1997, BGCH opened a satellite afterschool facility
in Nānākuli with 70 members from Nānākuli High and
Intermediate School. More than 70 percent of the youth
participants come from low-income households; 78 percent
are Native Hawaiian. Since opening its doors, the Nānākuli
Clubhouse has served nearly 1,700 youth participants who,
more often than not, come from single-parent, low-income
households. Directors Tupua and Fernandez oversee and
operate the Nānākuli Clubhouse year-round.
The BGCH Nānākuli Clubhouse is comprised of two
separate buildings within walking distance of each other.
The NFL Youth Education Town (YET) Hawaii opened in
March 2009 on the campus of Nānāikapono Elementary

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School to serve students ages 7 to 12. The 10,000-square-
foot, single-level, multiroom facility can accommodate
up to 228-people and it is the first Gold Level Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design-certified (LEED)
after-school facility in the national YET network. It offers
a state-of-the-art multimedia room, native Hawaiian
garden, large multipurpose room, library, learning center
and a technology center.
The Nānākuli Teen Center is an ADA-compliant
single-story facility with a total capacity of 140. The
Teen Center is located next to Nānākuli High and
Intermediate School, and contains a Learning Center,
Technology Center, Teen Lounge and Social/Game Room.
A 13-year-old member of the Nānākuli Clubhouse
affirms, “It’s a place where you can go where people care
about you and want to help you. They help you with
homework, and the club showed me how education can
change your life.”
According to a popular Hawaiian proverb, “If you
plan for a year, plant kalo. If you plan for 10 years, plant
koa. If you plan for 100 years, teach the children.”
At the Boys & Girls Club in Nānākuli, they’re
planning for 100 years.
2016 marks BGCH’s 40th anniversary, which
culminates with its signature “Walk in
the Country” fundraiser at Lanikuhonua
in Ko Olina. For more information, visit
bgch.com or call (808) 949-4203.
“It’s a place
where you
can go
where
people care.
the club
showed
me how
education
can change
your life.
”—A 13-year old member of
the Nānākuli clubhouse