In SY2019-20 Hawai‘i P-20 and the Nudge4 Solutions Lab (University of Virginia), with support from the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation,  launched a customized text messaging campaign to increase college enrollment at four high schools: Nanakuli High & Intermediate, Keaau High School, Castle High School and Waimea High School.

The goal of the project was to increase the number of students who successfully transition from high school to college by following through on complex and consequential tasks during their high school senior year and also the summer after graduating – i.e., submitting college applications and completing the FAFSA.

The project included a two-tiered “nudging” approach based upon the work of Ben Castleman from Nudge Solutions and built upon an evidence-based interactive text messaging strategy that provided students with highly personalized information and encouragement for applying to college and submitting their FAFSA. Students also had the ability to write back to the text messages and interact directly with their counselors. 

Next Steps to your Future Initiative

Building upon this pilot project, Hawai‘i P-20, together with the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges and community partners launched the
Next Steps to Your Future initiative to support this year’s Class of 2020 grads in planning for their future.

Expansion

This year, Hawai‘i P-20 will be expanding the Hawai‘i Nudge project to include four more schools:

  • Honoka‘a High and Intermediate School
  • Farrington High School
  • Kalaheo High School
  • Pearl City High School
  • McKinley High School
“We know that our graduating seniors have persevered in the face of adversity and that many of their plans were disrupted. Our Next Steps initiative was to make sure students had options after they graduated and received the necessary advising to help make their college dreams a reality and transition them to their futures.”
Stephen Schatz

Executive Director, Hawaiʻi P-20

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