2009 Kokua Earth Action Projects
Check back soon for more links to project photos, videos, and how-to sheets!
Elite Element Academy, Grades 7-12
Ms. Lilly Barels
“Make Your Own Living Green Podcast”
Students of the Elite Element Academy created entertaining and very educational podcasts on how to live green. Specific guidelines were set and they accomplished the task, some with very personal approaches to communicate earth friendly information. Podcasts will be posted online.
Jefferson Elementary School, Grades 2 & 4
Ms. Amanda Jones, Ms. Kelly Sutcliff, Ms. Danelle Cheng, Ms.Virginia Rose
“Going Greener”
2nd and 4th graders from Jefferson Elementary School have researched the effects of Styrofoam on the environment. They have researched and found eco-friendly alternatives for their school lunch trays in hopes of stopping the use of Styrofoam. Students will educate the school on their findings and they plan to implement an eco-friendly alternative soon.
Keolu Elementary School, Grade 3
Ms. Dawna Casebier
“Composting for School Plants”
The 3rd graders from Keolu Elementary School are excited to recover recyclable food waste from school lunches and together with the help of school custodians they will combine what is collected to create compost for the plants on campus.
La’ie Elementary School, Grade 6
Ms. Barbara Jean Kahawai, Ms. Serena Tuliloa, Mr. David Ishii, Ms. Christie Kloeppel
“Beach Erosion/Conserving Energy”
As a part of their ahupua’a series of learning workshops and the HECO energy challenge, the 6th grade classes at La’ie have taken it upon themselves to educate their school and community about ways they could all stop beach erosion. Their research findings will be shared with the student body and community.
Makaha Elementary School, Grades 3-6
Ms. Jennifer Schnupp, Ms. Michelle Weber
“Container Gardening: Creating a Community of Learning, Growing and Sharing”
Ms. Schnupp and Ms. Weber’s groups have started preparations to grow their own container garden with a vegetable of each student’s choice. Each student is excited to take care of their own container garden and share their experience at the upcoming reflection celebration with everyone present. This student group hopes to influence families to raise their own vegetable container garden at home.
Noelani Elementary School, Grade 1
Ms. Lianne Morita, Ms. Helen Edamura, Ms. Lauren Christensen, Ms. Darlene Watanabe
“Saving Energy”
The first grade students at Noelani have experience service to others first hand by helping the community and their families practice conservation and sustainability to save energy. The 1st grade students at Noelani have committed to teaching their families and community on how to adopt ways to save energy in their homes.
Pu’ohala Elementary School, Grades 2 and 3
Ms. Tara McCraw, Ms. Chastity Namba, Ms. Kahea Farla
“Our Classroom Garden”
“Our Classroom Garden” is focused on restructuring some of the old garden beds at Pu’ohala Elementary School by planting, rebuilding, composting, teaching sustainability, recycling, life cycles and stewardship of the land. This project has started with this group only and in the near future they hope to teach this model to more classes. Puohala_How-To_Sheet
Sunset Beach Elementary School, Grades 5 and 6
Ms. Laura Cummings, Mr. Joe Cicak, Ms. Kim Ladia
“Rain Barrels”
The 5th and 6th Graders at SBES are looking forward to setting up a water catchment system to better use their natural resources for irrigation of their campus ‘AINA In Schools garden and other plants on the school grounds. The 5th and 6th grade enrichment and special education students will be working together to plan, build, record data and document all stages of their project.
Voyager Public Charter School, Grade 3
Ms. Emily Jen, Ms. Karla Meek, Mr. Blake Cisneros, Ms. Anne Everingham
“Ban Styrofoam Lunch Trays”
The 3rd graders plan to implement usage of environmentally friendly lunch trays as an alternative to Styrofoam lunch trays at their school. Students, staff and families learn about the negative impacts Styrofoam has on our environment and plan to measure and document how much less trash is going to the landfill by using biodegradable plates at their school.
Wai’alae Elementary Public Charter School, Grade 4
Mr. Randy Jackson, Ms. Joann Yamane, Ms. Shirland Yoshimura, Ms. Melanie Ching
“Lokahi Designs for a Plastic-Free Future”
4th Grade students will design and sew reusable bags from recycled clothing to distribute in the school and community. They plan to encourage people to reduce their dependence on disposable plastic bags when shopping.
Wai’alae Elementary Public Charter School, Grade 5
Ms. Becky Larson, Ms. Valerie Nishida, Ms. Norbert Larsen
“Recycle and Renew Clothing”
5th grade students have decided to collect old shirts to bring to school and turn them into a new shirt with fresh look. Students will learn how this helps the environment. They hope to get others interested in trying out new clothes made out of old ones and learn how to reduce and reuse by being creative.
Waikiki Elementary School, Grade 1
Ms. Debbie Milikan, Ms. Nannette Ganotisi, Ms. Marianne Shimada, Ms. Laurie Yamamoto, Ms. Thalia Stark
“Vermicomposting at Waikiki School”
This project will establish vermicomposting at Waikiki School for the first grade students. It includes lessons in vermiculture by the Waikiki Worm Company and the establishment of a large colony of Perionyx excavatus worms.