Activities and Community Service
The Girls Court services, group processes, and activities all provide a powerful and prime context for girls to build relationship skills as well as maintain healthy relationships. Together they provide social support between the girls, positive connections with staff, their parents, and other adults.
Community service projects and other activities with the girls, their families, and staff provide an opportunity to give back to the community, meet positive people in many areas and fields for the girls and their families, and see their own growth, and actions.
Relationships are important and fundamental to girls' lives. Girls need time to talk, process their feelings and develop healthy relationships of trust as well as interdependence with other females. Observations and evaluation feedback from participating girls consistently indicate that girls value relationships with adults and peers that are caring and supportive. Positive relationships are a primary motivator and serve as a strong protective factor.
The Girls Court Program has received tremendous support from the community and cross-system of agencies. This support has made it possible for Girls Court to greatly and powerfully expand its services and activities and contact network. A number of dedicated individuals and agencies who gave generously of their time and expertise to team with Girls Court staff made it possible for Girls Court to provide the girls and their families a wide array of services as well as positive and healthy activities.
Individually the Girls Court gender-sensitive services and activities are packed with its educational, therapeutic, strength and skill-building benefits. These services and activities collectively strengthen and ensure that girls’ multiple service needs are holistically addressed. Please visit our Services/Partners page.
What follows are some highlights of the Girls Court activities and community service projects.
2008 Activities
Foster Family Picnic – Community Service Project (June 2008)
Helping the Foster Family Programs of Hawaii, the girls, their families and staff volunteered to coordinate family games for the Foster Family Summer picnic held at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. The games included water balloon dodge ball, a sponge and water game and “hot potato.” This project enabled the girls to develop leadership skills while bringing fun into the lives of foster children and families. Photo Gallery
Honoring Mothers (May 2008)
To increase and strengthen the relationship between mothers and daughters, Girls Court provided a day of creative activities to honor the girls’ mothers and women mentors. The activities enabled mother and daughter to be creative, communicate, and thereby nurture a stronger bond between them. Photo Gallery
Mokauea Island – A Community Service Event (March 2008)
Hosted by Donna Kahakui and her Kai Makana – Ocean Education Through Action organization, and the coordinating efforts of Dr. Lynette Cruz, Anthropology Professor at Chaminade University, Girls Court provided a community service by assisting in the clearing of mangrove plants on the last fishing village on the island of O’ahu. Under clear Hawaiian skies, girls, parents and staff paddled outrigger canoes to Mokauea Island. Then all participated in a morning of clearing branches, lumber, and trash followed by a tour of the island learning its history and place in Hawaii’s past and present. Photo Gallery
Pen Women (Throughout 2008)
Through the creative efforts of the National League of American Pen Women Honolulu Chapter, the girls tapped into their emotions and were encouraged to self-express themselves in writing and artwork. The program included professional guest speakers, local artists, established authors, technology and acting experts all sharing their talents. Photo Gallery
2007 Activities
Celebration of the Girls’ Journey (December 2007)
Our third class of girls celebrated with a ceremony attended by the girls, their parents, our staff and invited guests who have partnered with Girls Court. In the historic Ali’iolani Hale, the Hawaii Supreme Court courtroom, we gathered to acknowledge and celebrate the girls’ growth over the past year despite the challenges they face. The ceremony opened with remarks by the Chief Justice Ronald T. Y. Moon, Judge Radius, Girls Court Coordinator Adriane Abe and Professor Lynette Cruz.
One of our girls rose to speak her heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to attend the Girls Court program and for the support extended by the staff and other families in her difficult times. Then Girls Court parents, one from last year’s cohort and one from the present, shared with us their struggles and victories within their families. The ceremony was topped off with a presentation of a new Girls Court logo tee shirt designed by one of our alumni girls and a generous lei presentation by the Hawaii Women Lawyers. Photo Gallery
PowerPoint Workshop (October 24, 2007)
The National League of American Pen Women, Honolulu Branch, donated their time and talents to provide a PowerPoint computer workshop for the girls. Centered on “Gratitude,” the girls had a hands-on opportunity to begin learning how to create a PowerPoint slide show. These “Gratitude” slide shows will be incorporated into our Celebration Ceremony in December to share with family and friends. Photo Gallery
Girl Power – Community Service Project (October 20, 2007)
The Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii in partnership with Sassy magazine presented the 3rd Annual Girl Power Event for over 500 teen girls and women at the Hawaii Convention Center. The event opened with a performance of My Body-My Space by Grace Intelligence. And then the premier of Swim With Your Current, a book that encourages girls to remember their true self and be of service. Following these, creative activities and resource booths were set up to inspire health and wellness. Girls Court provided event participants to take their newly photographed pictures, mount them in picture frames and then decorate them. Mothers and daughters worked together, interacting with event participants while supplying two tables with frames and decorations. Once again, this proved to be very popular activity. Photo Gallery
Kaho’olawe – Community Service Project (October 1-4, 2007)
For a second year, the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission permitted Girls Court to perform community service on the island of Kaho’olawe. Girls and staff worked together planting, watering and mulching native species of vegetation in order to heal the land. In the toil of giving back to the community, the girls experienced their own personal strengths and abilities. Their stay included visiting some of the island’s sacred places. Dr. Lynette Cruz, a cultural anthropologist teaching at the Hawaii Pacific University and one of the chaperones, brought with her a wealth of knowledge about the Hawaiian culture which she shared throughout the trip. This enriched the girls by furthering their awareness and understanding of their own culture. The girls were personally, spiritually and educationally benefited from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Photo Gallery
Starwood Hotels Tour (Sept 8, 2007)
Thelma “Kehuau” Kam, Director of Cultural Services for the Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Waikiki, volunteered to escort the Girls Court girls and staff on a three hotel tour. Kehau, with gracious aloha, narrated the history of points of interest in Waikiki as she guided us on a walking tour of the Moana Surfrider, the Princess Kaiulani and the Royal Hawaiian hotels. At each, she discussed opportunities of employment within the hotel industry and the possibility of the girls experiencing a hotel position by “shadowing.” This worthwhile tour ended with a beautiful luncheon at the Royal Hawaiian. Photo Gallery
Honoring Mothers (May 2007)
For Mother’s Day 2007, the Girls Court girls honored their mothers and grandmothers with a series of activities such as Japanese tea ceremony, flower arranging, and hand and shoulder massages. The activity provided opportunities for family building and strengthening the all-important relationships between parents and daughters. Photo Gallery '07
Surfrider Spirit Sessions (April - June, 2007)
Through the charitable contributions of Hawaii Women Lawyers, Women's Fund of Hawaii, and the Surfrider Foundation the Girls Court girls were given the opportunity to hone their surfing skills. Learning how to surf was the vehicle local author, Cynthia Derosier, used to assist the girls with looking at how we make choices, take risks, deal with disappointment and stay committed, honor our responsibilities and live the adventurer spirit. Roxy donated tons of goodies. All who participated, girls, parents, and staff learned one of the most exhilarating ways to enjoy life in the world.
April Photo Gallery - June Photo Gallery - June Video 1 - Video 2 - August Photo Gallery
Hawai`i Fi-Do Service Dogs – Community Service Project (March 2007)
This family event brought the girls and their parents, and Girls Court staff to a location where others needed their services. Everyone helped with painting and yard work. The girls then helped groom and train the dogs that are needed by people with disabilities. The families learned about the need to be consistent, attentive and complimentary. They also learned that they can enjoy themselves as a family and that they too can make a difference to others in the community. Photo Gallery 07
Winners’ Camp (February 2007)
What a fabulous way to spend the day learning to take control of ones’ life and ones’ choices. Gathered under the hypnotic and effervescent leadership of Winners’ Camp Director, Delorese Gregorie, parents and teens were led through various experiential exercises and chants. As the main event, parents and girls fell into one another’s arms during a life-threatening (or so it felt like) event…the Trust Fall. All participants were asked to declare a challenge before climbing up a scaffold. Then with backs turned to those below and crossing both arms close to their chest, each parent and daughter fell backwards choosing to trust that those below would catch them with a net. Trusting became a huge learning implement on this incredible day.
Pen Women at Girls Court (throughout 2007)
For the second year in a row, the Honolulu Chapter of the American National League of American Pen Women, a group of professional women with creative talents in arts, music and letters, have shared their creativity and community connections with our girls. This year the girls have explored their histories with Slam Poetry with Kealoha, a local poet and Nancy Moss, a playwright. The girls have explored movement and expression with a dancer who led them through self-expression and exploration with objects and movement. Alsha, a local artist, who expresses herself often through "junk art" led the girls in creating recycled t-shirt fashion statements. The Pen Women have envisioned this lively program for each month after the court session. There is still more to come this year....! Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery 2
2006 Activities
Celebration of the Girls' Journey (December 2006)
Our second class of girls celebrated with a ceremony attended by the girls, their parents, our staff and a host of invited quests who have partnered with Girls Court and wanted to celebrate the girls' journey over the past year. The ceremony, held in historic Ali'iolani Hale the Hawaii Supreme Court courtroom, was opened with remarks by the Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon., Judge Radius, Donna Taniguchi and Kowboy from the Kahoolawe Island Restoration Commission. A touching ceremony where the girls and their parents each acknowledged their growth and their wishes for the future brought tears to many an eye.
An old Chinese proverb says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." and our families had traveled a long way in one year. Girls Court girls don't "graduate," because even though finishing the program the girls will face choices throughout their life's journey as young and maturing women. Our journey celebration recognizes the girls' walk along the pathway and welcomes them back to Girls Court as alumni who can work to become mentors to the incoming class of younger girls. Photo Gallery
Foster Family Christmas Party - Community Service Project (December 2006)
The girls, their parents and staff all came together during the holidays to provide support and service to the annual Foster Family Christmas Party. The girls served over 2000 families and children. This project enabled the girls to “give back” to others who like many of themselves had been away from their families during the holidays. It offered them another opportunity to be grateful for all they have and to feel the joy in giving. Photo Gallery
Power of Words: Art Workshop (November 2006)
The National League of American Pen Women, Honolulu Branch, created a powerful computer workshop for the girls to reflect on the expression of “Gratitude” after one year in Girls Court. The girls were given an opportunity to design their own canvas collages that combined their favorite things of which they were grateful in photo format with words. They did this project through paint and print media. The girls were able to share their work with their families and all attendees at the Celebration Ceremony in December. Photo Gallery
Clay Workshop (October 2006)
This activity offered the Girls Court participants the opportunity to work with clay in a unique and reflective manner. The girls were invited to create clay masks that showed both the visible and invisible parts of themselves. The girls were encouraged to work with symbols, color and glazes to demonstrate their feelings. As a closing process the girls were invited to share their finished work and reflections of what they learned about themselves and others. Photo Gallery
Girl Power Event (September 2006)
Girls Court participants were invited to attend the Girl Power Event held at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. The girls watched a short play on the effects of drug use put on by teen actors from the Kalihi/Palama Health Clinic program. Following the play the girls attended a series of workshops on a variety of subjects pertinent to teen age girls. Girls Court also offered a workshop to the participants that included picture taking, frame making and mounting. This workshop proved to be very popular. The entire day offered the girls from Girls Court an opportunity to meet with other service agencies and teens who like themselves are struggling to make good choices. Photo Gallery
Kaho`olawe - Community Service Project (August 2006)
Girls Court was granted the rare opportunity to go to the Hawai`ian island of Kaho’olawe, formerly used for military training and target practice from 1941 to 1990. The island has been given back to Hawai`i, and the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) is managing the clean up and restoring of native vegetation and protecting cultural artifacts.
The Girls Court girls lived together, shared the aina (land), and worked to restore the sacred place. The girls and staff assisted in planting native species of vegetation, clearing trails and paths, and learned about the island’s sacred history, which relates to their own personal stories. This experience was another way in which the girls learned about their culture, giving back to the community and understanding their own strengths and growth as a young woman. The girls benefited personally, spiritually, and educationally from this once-in-a lifetime opportunity. Photo Gallery
Hawai`ian Outrigger Canoe Experience (August 2006)
This was an entire family event that took parents, teens and siblings to the water. The history of the canoe, the local beaches and the people who paddle was a gift offered to those present. The parents, teens, and siblings were given the opportunity to paddle a canoe together as a family. They were photographed in the canoe and given the photo as a family memento to take home. This day was designed to show families how fun it is to spend the day together and enjoy each other’s company. For many families, times like this are rare. This day proved to be very rewarding for the participants. Families that play together grow together. Photo Gallery
Ropes Challenge (July 2006)
This was a completely family event, which took girls and their parents out of the city into the wild. Going up on the ropes provided participants a great opportunity to learn about risk-taking, their own perceived limits, how they perform under pressure, how they give and receive support from other people, and how working with others collaboratively helps achieve more than they thought they could accomplish. Everyone who participated, including parents who felt a little out of shape, was able to complete the tasks. The completion of each task was secondary next to the willingness to take the risk to do it. The process of participating, of supporting, of celebrating one's successes, of being willing to depend on others to assist and hold our lives in their hands was an incredible experience for those who have been betrayed, often by those who are meant to protect them. This was a very healing experience for many of the girls and their parents. Being witness to another person’s act of courage is a real gift and the families all left feeling better about themselves and closer to each other. Photo Gallery
Invention Factory (July 2006)
The Girls Court girls participated in an “Invention Factory” project led by the Women in Technology, a non-profit group whose aim is to encourage more girls to go into the science and technology fields. The all day “Invention Factory” allowed the girls to give back to the community by adapting toys for use by disabled children, which will be donated to Shriner’s Hospital. The girls gained valuable insight into the basics of circuitry and electronics and were able to learn basic soldering and circuit-making skills. This activity provided vocational insight, basic knowledge and skills, as well as an opportunity to perform community service. The girls worked with engineers and young women engineering students. Photo Gallery
Summer Institute (July 2006)
The Honolulu Branch of the National League of American Pen Women designed this four-day event for the girls to introduce them to women who were published and wanted to share their talents. The women writers showed the girls that they too could be successful authors. The girls participated in writing activities and by reflecting on their own histories learned, that they had something to write about that others want to hear. The girls experienced sharing their stories aloud in front of others and appreciated the challenge of public speaking and the appreciation of sharing themselves with others and the applause of approval and respect. The girls learned that their histories were to be celebrated not hidden as so many of them had thought they should be.
Women’s Way – Community Service Project (June 2006)
For National Make a Difference Day, the Girls Court girls decided on performing their community service project at Women’s Way, an inpatient community treatment program for mothers with drug abuse issues who are pregnant or have children under the age of three. The Girls Court girls and their mothers made picture frames together with the women in treatment and took pictures of the women and their babies. The Girls Court girls were able to interact with the women who in turn provided valuable insight for the girls from their own experiences from drugs and delinquency.
Girls Court was recognized nationally by the USA Weekend for its efforts at Women’s Way. The local newspaper also honored Girls Court for its project. Girls Court was presented a Certificate of Recognition by Michael Fisch, the Honolulu Advertiser publisher and president.
Honoring Mothers (May 2006 )
For Mother’s Day 2006, the Girls Court girls honored their mothers and grandmothers with a series of activities such as Japanese tea ceremony, flower arranging, and hand and shoulder massages. The activity provided opportunities for family building and strengthening the all-important relationships between parents and daughters. Photo Gallery '06
TJ Mahoney & Associates (April 2006)
TJ Mahoney invited the girls to interact with the women residing at a halfway house program for women upon leaving prison. Together the women and girls discussed overcoming past traumas and challenging relationships to become positive members of our community.
Spring to Success (March 2006)
Kamehameha Scholars Program sponsored this event that introduced Girls Court girls to women in non-traditional jobs such as pipe fitters, aircraft mechanics, emergency medical technicians, and airline pilots. The girls were also treated to a session with Rebecca Stewart Modeling School on how to look good and appropriate on the job.
Hawai`i Fi-Do Service Dogs – Community Service Project (February 2006 )
This family event brought the girls and their parents, and Girls Court staff to a location where others needed their services. Everyone helped with painting and yard work. The girls then helped groom and train the dogs that are needed by people with disabilities. The families learned about the need to be consistent, attentive and complimentary. They also learned that they can enjoy themselves as a family and that they too can make a difference to others in the community. Photo Gallery 06
Family Night at the Courts (February 2006)
The girls of Girls Court and their families and staff were guests of the Wahine Basketball Team at the Stan Sheriff Arena, University of Hawai`i. The girls saw young women able to balance healthy competitive sports and a full college curriculum.
2005 Activities
Lokahi Tree – Community Service Project (November 2005)
The first group of Girls Court girls, their families, and staff sorted toys at the Lokahi Tree Christmas project and packed 700 bags of food for needy families. The girls, their families, and staff all felt fulfilled to lend a hand to Hawai`i’s struggling families and help make their holiday season brighter.
Food Bank Collection Drive - Community Service Project (April 2005)
For our second Community Service Project, the girls and staff of Girls Court collected money to help feed the hungry. By participating in this event, the girls were able to feel the satisfaction of supporting the community and helping others.
KHON-TV (February 2005)
Girls Court girls, their families and staff visited KHON television station and met with popular anchor, Leslie Wilcox and the news cast crew.