Learning Objective #1: Identify five cultural values core to character building in Hawaii

Learning Objective #2: Identify four trajectories of violence prevention targeted by school-age children on Hawaii island

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Diverse community partnerships among nurses, school aged children, teachers and parents were formed to develop a school-based violence prevention curricula on Hawaii island. Cultural values were used to link a nursing framework on violence trajectory for preventing precursors to violent behaviors in children grades 1 to sixth who lived in multi-ethnic communities. The school is located in a district where children are exposed to domestic violence as a way of family life; witness trauma among women that necessitated emergency room visits, and whose fathers are incarcerated. Nurses developed the trajectory toward violence with children's input via focus groups methodology. Four themes emerged; childhood emotional distress, insubordination, harassment, bullying and disorderly conduct were targeted for prevention because of high incident onsite. Partnerships with teachers led to the integration of the nursing violence prevention framework with the school's cultural values curricula, which were developed with Hawaiian female elders (known as Kapunas) as part of the DOE's mandate for cultural diversity. Five Hawaiian values were targeted for interventions; Aloha (love), Kuliana (responsibility), Ho'ihi (respect), Laulima (cooperation) and Koa (courage). These cultural values were important traits to building character and promoting a sense of Ohana (family and community) in the school. The nursing framework merged with five Hawaiian values was anchored in the school's curriculum through 2 years of teacher training that brought 20 core lessons aligned with prevention of insubordination, harassment and bullying. Teachers and parents identified the school-based violence prevention trajectory program as a cultural competent approach to forging healthy partnerships among students, teachers and parents. Successful outcomes were: increased parental involvement, increased teachers' satisfaction, curricula innovations via conceptual teachings, voluntary participation of children in leadership roles, converting “difficult students” to role models of ‘good character', private foundation funding and toward institutionalizing the program in the State's Department of Education.