The Pā‘ia Youth & Cultural Center Life Skills Program is composed of the following components. Most youth will be involved in multiple components during their years that they are a PYCC member. Each component offers individualized mentorship to help participants identify and achieve goals while building and improving skills in a variety of areas:

• radiOpio 88.9FM Youth Radio Program
• Pā‘ia Bay Cafe Cooking Program
• Malama Pono Project Venture Program
• Hekili Multimedia Lab Technologies Program

radiOpio 88.9fm – KOPO Youth Radio – has been on air broadcasting from the Pā‘ia Youth & Cultural Center since June 17, 2006. It is an ongoing adventure! Although all the music is chosen by youths for their own shows, it is by no means “kids” music. You’ll hear new & old, Funk & Folk, Rock & Punk, Rap & Reggae, and local artists. Plus it’s COMMERCIAL-FREE.

In 2010 radiOpio was named one of the 40 Best Little Radio Stations in the US by Paste Magazine.

radiOpio is here for you. If you are between the ages of 9 and 19 and would like to join us, just come on down to PYCC. We love to promote local events, so email us using the button below or call the station at 579-6400. We want to hear your ideas!

Please contact us with questions and comments or if you are a current PYCC member and wish to schedule a show.

Listen LIVE:

Cooking Classes Offered Daily:

The Pā‘ia Bay Cafe is a life skills cooking program. We offer daily cooking classes for members to build their skills and confidence preparing food in our Health Department Certified kitchen. The participants learn how to prepare healthy meals and desserts, kitchen safety, designing confections, how to bake, reading recipes and creating their own meals. Youth leave with the great feeling that comes from accomplishing something valuable. Meals are $2.00 and are available to members and alumni.

On school days, cooking classes are after school until about 4:00 PM. Food is available from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays, some Holidays, and during intersession breaks from school, classes usually begin around noon with food available after 2:00 PM. There are many ways youth can participate in the classes and in the kitchen! Cooking class is offered on a first-come-first-served basis.

Pā‘ia Youth & Cultural Center is a certified Project Venture adoption site, and has been personally endorsed by NIYLP founder McClellan “Mac” Hall. Our program is based on the nationally recognized evidence-based program created by the National Indian Youth Leadership Project.

Our program features frequent exciting outdoor activities, trips around the island, service work, and community outreach! We paddle, surf, dive, hike, camp, and help you develop leadership skills, confidence, and independence while having fun! Please contact us to find out what we’re up to this week!

Malama Pono Project Venture is a fun and challenging leadership program for Maui youth that offers age-appropriate island-wide activities, and extreme outdoor adventures. Adventure activities include…

zip lining • hiking • camping • stand-up paddling
surfing • games • snorkeling • ropes course
kayaking • fitness and exercise

Youth participants are encouraged to learn about Maui’s community, media, and outdoors while gaining skills in the following areas that are emphasized by the NIYLP Project Venture:

• Leadership values
• Self-awareness
• Engagement with nature
• Connection through community and culture

Malama Pono Project Venture meets Tuesday thru Saturday for field trips, games, sports and athletics, beach workouts, and other activities!

A main component of the Malama Pono Project Venture program is to inspire youth to give to their community. Legends of Service is comprised of service learning activities that provide participants with opportunities to learn while helping to improve aspects of their community.

Past activities have included lo‘i kalo work in Ha‘iku, Keanae, and Kipahulu, local farm tours, tree planting, rubbish and beach clean-up, landscape and improvement work, dune restoration of Pā‘ia Bay, beautification of exterior restroom walls at Pā‘ia Bay Park and providing oral and written testimony at Maui County budget hearings.

The Pā‘ia Youth & Cultural Center works in partnership with many local organizations, farms, and companies to ensure that our participants are offered a variety of opportunities to be involved in their community.

Please contact us if you have a project that could interest PYCC members, or if you would like to volunteer your skills.

The Hekili Multimedia Program focuses on the wide variety of talents and abilities of contemporary youth to understand and implement new technologies in artistic and entrepreneurial applications. Projects include:

• Video Production
• Digital Photography
• Audio Production and Recording
• Musicianship
• Music Composition
• Graphic Design
• Job Skills
• Web Development
• Computers

Hekili Multimedia Lab offers individual mentoring via drop-in activities that strive to successfully integrate technology in a comfortable and hands-on learning environment.