| Separated by a volcanic ridge to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and with only a single road connecting them with the rest of the island, Waianae Coast communities on the coast of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands have faced substantial obstacles to accessing technical and economic benefits throughout the Industrial Age. Now, however, as the public and private sector continue to draw high technology companies to Hawaii, Information Age technology may help to transform the coast's geographic isolation into a resource rather than a barrier, allowing information to reach the coast while preserving the pristine environment and cultural traditions treasured by residents and visitors alike.
Waianae has one of the largest (more than 40%) Native Hawaiian populations in Hawaii. The entire coast has poverty levels near 20%, with some census tracts exceeding a 50% poverty level. Over 90% of households in Waianae earn less than $50,000 per year. The median household income is $25,638. Since the late 1980s, Hawaii's economy has weathered structural and cyclical changes that yielded marked decreases in all sectors. A recession in 1991 was followed by virtually no growth. From 1992 to 1994 there was limited recovery narrowly based on tourism, but in 1995-1996, the state's growth rate was still less than 1%. Historically, all of the communities along the Waianae Coast have been economically depressed. While it is difficult to assess the current unemployment rate, speculation within the community places it at twice the national average, despite the strong work ethic among residents.
Efforts over the past six years by government and private associations in Hawaii have produced a growing technology base and a business climate that has resulted in significant economic growth in the last two years. Hawaii is currently creating a series of strong technology niches for itself based on recent tax measures and its unique resources. Despite the significant under-representation of Native Hawaiians in Information Technology and other high technology fields, students from Waianae High School (WHS) continue to compete in and win a number of state and national multimedia competitions. The school's mass media program, Searider Productions, Inc., is actively involved in several community projects and local businesses.
Serving the Waianae Coast communities since 1968, the University of Hawaii - Leeward Community College (UH-LCC) has a student enrollment that is 15% Native Hawaiian. UH-LCC is the first community college in the State of Hawaii to develop certificate programs in e-commerce with the curricular underpinnings for a systematic effort to incubate new businesses. In partnership with the Hawaii Technology and Trade Association, WHS, Olelo Community Television, and the Waianae Coast Coalition (a local community organization), UH-LCC is developing a Digital Telecommunications Institute for Economic Development at WHS. The program integrates public school and higher education telecommunications and media production programs with economic development initiatives that incorporate incubation services for new and at-risk businesses.
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