2007-2008 Kokua Earth Action Projects
The 2007-08 school year was our first year organizing the Kokua Earth Action Projects initiative, and the response was great! Each school group submitted a KEAP proposal outlining their project goals, their plans for attaining them, and even details of how they would share it with others. Fourteen school groups took on the KEAP challenge by starting or strengthening a current environmental service learning project at their school.
Each KEAP group’s work was shared and recognized at the 2008 Keiki Kokua Festival.
Hokulani Elementary, Grade 4: Vermicomposting
The 4th graders at Hokulani took part in a vermicomposting workshop provided by the Waikiki Worm Company. They made a presentation to the school about their project, which included collecting the school’s food waste. They also wrote letters to parents, and held a bake sale to raise funds for equipment needed to start vermicomposting at their school.
Innovations Public Charter School, Grade 5 & 6: GECKO
Students at Innovations formed a student-led Global Environmental Care Keiki Ohana (GECKO) group that addresses environmental issues impacting Hawaii’s schools and communities. Together with the support of their school and parents, IPCS students will have an active role in monitoring their garden government, achieving composting & recycling goals on campus, and many other environmental projects planned for IPCS.
La’ie Elementary, Grade 6: Electricity Conservation Project
6th graders at La’ie took the initiative to increase awareness on campus about conserving electricity and shared ways to practice conscious environmental habits at school and at home. At their weekly assemblies they shared a variety of ways to achieve energy conservation.
La’ie Elementary, Grade K, 2 & 3: Kawahiola: “The Place of Life”
Kawahiola, La’ie Elementary School’s very own garden, was created to help students learn in an authentic environment while nurturing a love for the land. As responsible caretakers of the ‘aina, La’ie students have the chance to learn how their physical health is connected to the health of the land. This Kokua Earth Action Project hopes to educate all students on vermicomposting and encourage positive attitudes toward recycling.
Mililani Mauka Elementary, Grade 5: We Can Make A Difference at Mauka
5th graders at Mililani Mauka divided into teams and tackled different energy topics to research and share. They even created a video about energy conservation to be viewed throughout their school in hopes that viewers will take action to conserve energy.
Navy Hale Keiki School, Pre-School-Grade 3: Earthcare Educational Enrichment Program
Students and parents from Navy Hale Keiki School worked together on collecting and sorting Hi-5 recyclables on campus. This project helped to educate students and participating families to understand the importance of recycling and create permanent, habitual change in favor of environmental living.
Noelani Elementary, Grades 1, 3, 4 & 5: Kids Saving The Future, One Watt at a Time
At Noelani, a variety of student-produced projects were created to promote energy conservation. These projects included making podcasts, posters, a video, skits, cards and commitments (colleced signatures). With the help of parents and faculty, they hope to educate their students of the urgency to become a responsible steward of our environment.
Punahou Elementary, Grade 6: Earthbox Victory Gardens
Mr. Smart’s 5th grade group created three Earthboxes not only to teach the history of victory gardens but also to help instill a similar urgency to today’s climate crisis. The project aimed to connect students to their food supply and experience pesticide free, home grown vegetables. The group also documented their project through a blog/slideshow.[http://iws.punahou.edu/user/jsmart/chart/Victory%20Gardens.html
Seabury Hall Middle School, Grade 6-8: BYRP Bring Your Reusable Plastic
As a part of a school-wide effort to become more sustainable, Mr. Wilson and his group conducted a fundraising project hoping to shift consumer consciousness on campus from single-use water bottles to multiple-use containers. They hope to increase awareness and educate their school and community of the downfalls of single-use plastic bottles.
Sunset Beach Elementary, Grades 4, 5 & 6 SPED: Using Real World Geometry to “Build” A Better Future
Mr. Joe Cicak and his SPED class constructed a worm bin while providing invaluable real-world scenarios to develop skills needed for measurement and unit conversions. They also practiced using tools and collecting cafeteria waste safely. This project is helping to divert matter from the wastestream and create useful, natural fertilizer for gardens too!
Tutu & Me Traveling Pre-School: Earth Month Curriculum, Resource Guide, and Reusable Bags
Tutu & Me Pre-Schools created an environmental education guidebook, which includes lessons and tips parents and children. One of the activities the families participated in was taking a reusable tote bag when shopping at the grocery store instead of taking home groceries in plastic bags.
Wai’alae Public Charter Elementary, Grade 5: Recyclable & Non-Recyclable Materials Are Valuable
Students at Wai’alae Public Charter School, together with Mr. Jackson experimented making new paper from grey board and other non-recyclable papers. Together with Betty Gearen from The Green House, these students were able to do this themselves. They learned firsthand that you can make your own paper and discovered more possibilities for re-using resources.
Wai’anae Elementary, Grade 2: Malama’aina Project
Ms. Sousa 2nd graders at Wai’anae helped the rest of the school in their school-wide Malama’aina Project by preparing soil for gardening and constructing an eight-foot fence around the garden perimeter. While engaged in gardening, students at Wai’anae learned the value of knowing where their food comes from.
Waikiki Elementary, Kindergarten: Kindergarten Anuenue Garden
The Kindergarten classes at Waikiki Elementary School created a hands-on, fun and edible garden. Their project is a step toward creating a generation that understands sustainability. The Anuenue garden will be maintained permanently for kindergarteners at Waikiki Elementary School for years to come.