Why 1 In 6 Hawaii Residents Struggle To Read… The state rolled out a new plan to address literacy in Hawaii schools and among Hawaii adults last month that’s full of broad recommendations.
As a kid growing up in Hanapepe, Kanani Santos never felt like he fit in at school. His hyperactivity confounded his teachers, who put him in special education classes. Even though Santos is part Hawaiian, he was often teased for his haole looks.
By the time Santos went to high school, drugs and alcohol became his pathway into social acceptance. He estimates he graduated at a seventh-grade reading level.
It wasn’t until Santos was in his mid-30s, a businessman with children of his own, that he decided he wanted to be a better reader. He started one-on-one tutoring through Hawaii Literacy, a statewide nonprofit, and kept it up for more than a year.
