Early College

Why early College?

Here are just a few of the reasons why Early College is part of our 9-12 grade program for all students, not just a select few:

  • No ke aloha o ka ʻŌlelo.

Through a partnership with both Kapiʻolani Community College and Windward Community College, we find instructors to teach the Early College courses in Hawaiian in keeping with the mission and vision of Ānuenue. This allows our students access to Hawaiian Language and Culture Courses beyond our regular high school courses.

  • Hoʻokamaʻaina i nā keiki i nā kula kaiaulu. (Get our students familiar with community colleges and higher learning.)

Early College bridges the gap between Ānuenue and WCC/KCC. Students meet and work with instructors, counselors from the community to make relationships, learn about programs and take college-level courses. When they leave Ānuenue, they will already have kumu at these two Community Colleges that they can turn to for help and guidance.

  • Mālama kālā

Students are able to earn 3 college credits for each Early College course for FREE, saving them more than $400 per course. These courses can be put towards a degree or certificate program. For the class of 2022, we are planning for them to complete five courses by the time they graduate. This would mean a possible savings of $2000. (Please note that our ability to run courses will always be subject to the availability of Hawaiian-speaking instructors.)

  • He Kākoʻo/Kōkua no nā papa kula kaiāulu. (Extra support from our kumu.)

    • Our high school kumu act as success coaches for all WCC courses which means there is another set of eyes watching out for your keiki. This is important as the students adjust to the rigor of a college-level course. One of the WCC counselors communicates and checks in with the students also. Please note that these courses will count towards the student's GPA and can have an impact on Financial aid within the UH system.

    • Although some KCC courses do not utilize the Success Coach model, one of our kumu will be there to monitor the class. We work closely with both the KCC instructors and counselor to kākoʻo the students.

He aha nā manaʻo nui no Early College? Some facts about Early College:

  • Aʻo ʻia ma Ānuenue (Taught in school at Ānuenue)

  • Ma ka Hawaiʻi (taught in Hawaiian)

  • Aʻo me kāu papa ponoʻī (you learn with your homeroom class)

  • Koho ke kula i nā papa (classes are chosen by us)

  • Free. Funded largely by the Hawai‘i State Legislature. (School pays a small portion.)

  • Part of the school's curriculum. We select classes that complement our in-school curriculum. All students required to participate.