E lawe i ke aʻo a mālama, a e ʻoi mau ka naʻauao.

He who takes his teachings and applies them increases his knowledge. ʻŌLELO NOEAU #328

New Year, new Ways of Being! Join us and start 2025 off with a spark!

Days

Hours

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Apply to Cohort 12 by Friday, January 31, 2025

About Spark Well-being Cohorts

SPARK cohorts are designed for YOU, Hawaiʻi’s educators and parents. The purpose of these cohorts is to address toxic stress so that you are the most effective when working with students. Participants will engage in weekly research-based Positive Psychology activities designed to increase personal well-being and flourishing as well as decrease stress. Cohort 12 is hosted in partnership with HIDOE Project Aware and enrollment is open to educators and parents connected to a HIDOE Windward District school.

Here’s da scoops!

What to Expect

Weekly Call to Actions: Homework to Help You Flourish

PHASE 1. The cohort will go through synchronous online learning and activities using Slack, a private online social community. Log in when it is convenient for you! Practice the research-based Positive Psychology activities that are easy, effective, and fun! Earn all 10 weekly H-PEP badges for submitting your weekly Google Forms!

Sparked to Action!

PHASE 2. Create and implement a Spark Call to Action Plan centered around sparking well-being and/or literacy, to be completed in your school by April 2025.

3 in-person Highly Interactive Retreats

Designed to be experiential and engaging- focused on Adaptive Leadership, Positive Psychology, and Native Hawaiian knowledge. Saturdays. Come build pilina with us!

Set Your Intentions: Clarify Your Personal Goals

Create meaningful connections with your team and receive ongoing support from your peer coach who is committed to helping you have your best experience.

Curriculum Highlights

Physical
Well-being

Focus on addressing your physical well-being through breath, sleep, and movement.

Strengths

Dive into character strengths and see how they impact self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Gratitude

Develop a habit of practicing gratitude and evoking feelings of positivity.

Meaning

Find meaning in your daily life and take time to reflect on your thoughts and emotions.

Savoring

Check in with yourself and do more of what feels good to improve your well-being.

Empathy

Learn Active Constructive Responding, a practice associated with greater life satisfaction.

Adaptive Leadership

Engage in reflective practices, learn about cycles of change and how to manage them, and let your inner leader shine!

Hakalau

Learn the art of practicing and living in Hakalau, the mindset of possibility and solution, and other Native Hawaiian ʻike (knowledge).

Cohort Benefits

Emotions are highly contagious! You may experience increased well-being, resilience, and flow in addition to reduced levels of toxic stress.

Changes in YOU ultimately leads to changes in others. Your new learning, access to resources, and refreshed mindset may re-spark your ability to positively engage with your students, children, and others in your circles.

Each cohort participant may receive a stipend (up to $325) for attendance and completion of our data forms.

"Once in H-PEP, always in H-PEP!" Be a part of the H-PEP +CREW, an amazing network of Hawaii's educators and parents, also working hard to help our keiki thrive.

Each participant may apply for up to $500 to support their Spark Call to Action Plan (pending approval by H-PEP and your school's administrator).

What people are saying

H-PEP helped me to see the positive in everything. It helped me enjoy those little things that I had but wasn’t taking time to enjoy. I feel like a more positive, joyful educator. I understand that like me, all families have their own problems but there is always a way to make things better.

I feel that I’ve gained confidence in myself, my spirit, and most importantly in my teaching abilities. I started off [as] a mediocre [educator] and came out a champion. I realized I am important and deserve to treat myself with the same care and love I enjoy giving away to others.

H-PEP constantly reminded me of how important I am to this world and that’s something I really needed. Teachers give so much with so little in return that sometime it starts to take a toll on us. Seeing other teachers motivate one another is literally the best feeling. It came right around the times I needed it most!

I learned so many strategies that helped me be a better teacher. H-PEP is such a positive and encouraging teacher professional development. I feel emotionally and physically healthier this year because I put the mindfulness strategies that I learned through H-PEP into practice in my life. I have grown professionally and personally.

I was able to find more people like myself- who have stressful jobs, need a network of positive, healthy, good friends, who try hard to do the best that they can, support others, and truly understand our challenges. It is a support group…and I will continue self-care, support, and positive outlooks and internal positivity and pass it on!

H-PEP gave me many new skills and supported me to create habits to use them. I have an even healthier lifestyle than I did before. I respond to others in ways that helps foster positive interactions and relationships. I also gained a lot of resources. I am working towards more personal goals and tracking my progress. I am intentional in using the skills they taught me, including deep breathing and reducing or being ready for stress.