2010 Kokua Earth Action Projects
Check back soon for more links to project photos, videos, and how-to sheets!
Kahala Elementary School Grades K-6
Ms. Sheila Buyukucar
“A Cleaner Awareness”
The focus of our project is to learn and teach others about the harmful affects of our cleaners at school and home. The overall goal is to decrease the amount of harmful solvents and increase the use of natural cleansers by our school and families.
Kahala Elementary School Grades K-6
Ms. Sheila Buyukucar
“Coolin’ Winds”
Our project is to help students become aware of the possible energy and money savings that can come from using our air conditioners in more efficient and prudent ways. The overall goal is to decrease the amount of time our classes use a room’s air conditioner. Therefore reducing our energy consumption we use for cooling.
Kaimuki Middle School Grades 6-7
Ms. Lianna Lam
“The Kaimuki Middle Recycling Program”
The Planeteers, an afterschool-Earth-stewardship and service club is in the process of installing paper and plastic recycling bins in every classroom and starting up a small-scale worm composting program for cafeteria scraps. With the help of the Green House LEAP program, students learned about the energy cycle and have rallied to pass out recycling fliers and maintain recycle bins, and construct four worm bins for cafeteria food waste. The goal of our service learning project is to teach students about reducing waste and helping our campus become more sustainable.
Kainalu Elementary School Grades 5-6
Ms. Dianne Kellet
“Kainalu’s Garden of Wellness”
We propose to plant a school garden in direct proximity to the school cafeteria which will include 4 raised beds (each 4x4 and modeled after the Square Foot Gardening Program. The Garden of Wellness supports the school’s mission by providing additional learning experiences to the students in an effort to help them reach their full potential and experience success and it will provide an opportunity for those students who may otherwise never have the chance to benefit from all the wonders a garden can offer. Our goal is to not only increase children’s capacity for making healthy choices by involving them in a simple, fun and exciting activity, but also to learn about, care, and nourish nature and their environment.
Noelani Elementary School Grade 1
Ms. Lianne Morita
“Saving Energy”
The goal of this project is to teach families to identify ways to save energy/electricity in our homes. First grade students learn about service to others by helping the community and their families practice conservation and sustainability to save energy. Students teach families/community on how to adopt ways to save energy in their homes.
St. Anthony School Grades K-6
Ms. Elizabeth Garrison
“St. Anthony School Gardens”
We hope to grow enough food to help the Catholic outreach across the street.The seventh grade started their garden over the summer and is now assisting other grades in starting their gardens. The Kindergarten through 2nd grade classes are developing their garden project around their spiraling unit that focuses on 21 century leaning that is project based and involves collaborative learning. The goal is to inspire students to help others start a garden at home, in their community or their church. Since the 7th graders are helping the other grades we hope students will want to continue providing this service to others.
Sunset Beach Elementary School Grade K-6
Mr. Joe Cicak
“Composting of ‘AINA Kine Healthy Snack Rubbish in Worm Bin”
The goal of our project is to establish a worm bin for vermicomposting rubbish from the ‘AINA Kine healthy snack program to be used, then, in the ‘AINA Kine garden beds. Currently classes deposit rubbish in a general composting bin. Our goal is to teach the students who participate in the ‘AINA Kine Farmers Market Club that every action of a project, Healthy snacks for instance can have a positive effect on the environment along with nourishing the student body. Zero Waste.
Sunset Beach Elementary School Kindergarten
Ms. Lisa Johnson
“Plant a Card in Your Yard”
Our students will reuse colored construction paper scraps from the daily classroom activities to make new paper. In the note card paper, students will infuse seeds from our Aina in Schools Kindergarten Butterfly Garden and educate others how the note card was made. Students will recognize that not all paper can be recycled in the normal recycle bin, but there is a way to reduce the paper waste. During the project, students will model the term reuse and discover how paper can biodegrade while germinating new flower designs.
Sunset Beach Elementary School Grades 5-6
Ms. Laura Cummings
“Energy Cycle”
Our project will connect energy conservation with physical fitness by using student mechanical energy (pedaling a stationary bicycle )to transfer and store in a battery to be used for charging our science lab mini-laptops for our Science Enrichment program. The overall goals of our project are to teach students how different types of energy is transferred into electricity, promote conservation of energy while investigating renewable energy sources, and promote physical fitness.
Wai’alae Public Charter School Grade 4
Mr. Randy Jackson
“Recycle & Renew Clothing”
Students will bring old shirts to school and turn them into a “new” shirt with a fresh new look or into a reusable shopping bag. Students will learn how this helps the environment. Our goal is that students will learn more about the impact the clothing industry has on the environment and how through creative ways they can help reduce this impact.
Waialua High School Grades 9 & 11
Ms. Marsha Taylor
“Waialua Gardens and Aquaponics”
Setting up an aquaponic area with a BioPod. We currently have worm composting and recycling café food but would like to now recycle the dteritis through a BioPod. This will feed the Talapia we currently have and help in establishing an aquaponic area. The goal is to recycle the “other” café waste in the Bio Pod that will feed the talapia that are in the aquaponic tanks. The aquaponics will provide the students and culinary arts program with herbs and leafy greens. We are currently utilizing worm compost from recycled caffe waste. We want to expand on this through the Bio pod in establishing an aquaponics area where we can grow leafy greens.