There’s a place to connect every week
OhanaHC partners with five Howard County high schools, and every week students have an after-school club meeting to connect with school staff, other students, mentors, volunteers, and other community members.
Every school has its own story
OhanaHC currently partners with five Howard County high schools. Explore the stories from each one.
Support that can grow beyond high school
Graduation brings new opportunities, new decisions, and a whole new set of firsts. And every young person still needs trusted people in their corner.
Through Pathfinders, OhanaHC continues supporting young adults ages 18 to 24 as they navigate college, training, employment, transportation, finances, relationships, and the many firsts that come with adulthood.
The setting may change. The idea does not. Keep the relationships strong. Keep the community close. Keep showing up.
In their own words
The most rewarding aspect of this role is building personal connections with our exceptional students. Each student brings something special to our community and watching them begin to unite as a supportive cohort has been immensely gratifying.
What the OhanaHC Club Offers
The after-school clubs are an extension of the mentoring experience, offering a safe, welcoming space once a week for students to connect, collaborate, and learn. Through hands-on workshops, activities, and conversation, students develop skills in leadership, conflict resolution, communication, and healthy relationship-building.
They might talk through a challenge with a friend or adult, explore a future goal, or simply spend time with people they have come to trust.
The people in every village
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School Liaisons
HCPSS staff help create a consistent, welcoming club environment, facilitate meetings, and stay connected to what students are experiencing at school.
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Village Coordinators
OhanaHC Village Coordinators attend club meetings, work with school liaisons to bring lessons to life, encourage students to help design meetings, listen, and support students academically and at their sporting events and other activities.
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Mentors
Mentors build individual relationships with students and provide practical, personal support that can make everyday challenges easier to navigate.
Together, they create something bigger than any one relationship: a community of adults who know students, care about what happens to them, and want to see them succeed.
What it adds up to
FY2026, across the community
- 67+ young people served
- 192+ mentors and volunteers
- 8,000+ mentoring and volunteer hours
What families and students tell us
- 85% of parents noticed positive change
- 94% of students report a trusted adult
- 80% of students report a stronger sense of belonging
Ohana of Howard County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting youth in Howard County. Read the annual report
Bring a village of support to your school
We work alongside school staff to help identify students who may benefit from OhanaHC, and to support their needs in and out of school.
Sometimes the most important outcome starts small
- A student who once stayed quiet speaks up.
- Someone asks a mentor a question they did not know who else to ask.
- A club conversation turns into students encouraging one another.
That is what a school partnership makes possible: more people in a student's corner, at school and beyond it.
Help fund the moments that build a village
Our school partners create a stronger community around our young people
Alumni groups, local businesses, civic organizations, faith communities, and other school supporters can help fund the meals, school liaison stipend, supplies, transportation, and activities that bring students, school staff, and mentors together.
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A meal to share after school.
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Expertise that helps them imagine what comes next.
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An experience that introduces young people to something new.
Whether you graduated from the school, work nearby, or simply care about its students, there's a place for you in the village.
Ask about the club at your school
It starts with one connection
One school. One conversation. One opportunity to bring more caring adults and youth together.