Our Community AFTERSCHOOL Programs

Tech Savvy Teens is a youth-led community service and workforce development program organized by Kaulike Academy (formerly Acton Digital Academy). Designed for Hawai‘i’s youth ages 13–19, the program equips teens with essential technology and job readiness skills—while fostering meaningful intergenerational connections. 

A core feature of the program involves teens providing hands-on tech support to kūpuna (seniors) at senior living centers, shopping malls, and community events across the islands. These interactions focus on practical, everyday digital tools such as mobile banking, telehealth platforms, and digital devices, helping kūpuna manage their finances and healthcare more independently.

Through mentorship, real-world application, and culturally rooted service, Tech Savvy Teens bridges the digital divide—empowering youth with 21st-century skills and ensuring Hawai‘i’s kūpuna are supported in an increasingly tech-driven world. Together, they’re creating a more connected, confident, and resilient community.

ʻŌpio Mākeke is an entry-level entrepreneurship program created by Kaulike Academy in partnership with Keiki Rise, designed to empower Hawai‘i’s next generation of youth entrepreneurs. Through hands-on workshops and mentorship, keiki and ʻōpio develop essential business skills, build confidence, and take their first steps into the world of entrepreneurship. 

At the core of the program are our ʻŌpio Mākeke Pop-Up Business Fairs—youth-led events where participants launch and manage their own small businesses. These pop-up markets provide real-world experience and serve as vibrant spaces to celebrate creativity, culture, and community. Youth vendors engage directly with customers, network with local business owners, and learn the value of hard work and innovation.

Keiki Rise is a youth-led entrepreneurship and business accelerator program based in Hawaiʻi, founded by then-teen Coen Cadinha. Its mission is to empower young Hawaiʻi residents with financial literacy, business know-how, and real-world opportunities to grow and succeed.

Through workshops, mentorship, pop-up markets, and annual showcases, Keiki Rise equips keiki and ʻōpio with the tools to build brands, refine skills, test the market, and earn income—all while strengthening confidence and community connections.

To date, Keiki Rise has supported dozens of young entrepreneurs, helping them develop financial skills, marketing strategies, customer service experience, and opportunities to express their culture through business.