Mahalo for your support!
Posted On: Jul 11, 11During the 2010-2011 school year we reached thousands through our programs. Here’s a snapshot:
This farm to school program aims to connect children to their land, waters and food in order to grow a healthier future for Hawai’i. ‘AINA IS brings nutrition education, garden-based learning, agricultural literacy, and healthy food choices to Hawai’i's schools.
12 elementary schools on O’ahu participate in our ‘AINA IS program. is year 1,800 students participated in garden lessons, while 1,300 took part in nutrition lessons. Five ‘AINA schools served a weekly Fresh Choice Salad Bar and six schools participated in the Hawaiian Harvest Snack pilot program. Both programs aim to serve more fresh, local produce on school campuses. Over 450 parent and community volunteers supported the program by giving 3,500 hours of service.
Environmental Education Field Trip Assistance Program
Kokua’s field trip assistance grants bring students to outdoor sites where they can experience hands-on learning about Hawai’i's natural environment.
5,946 students at 68 schools participated in Kokua-supported field trips. Field trip sites include Wai’opae Marine Life Conservation District, Waimea Valley, Honouliuli Wetlands, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, and many others. An additional 3,350 children visited Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha’s educational farm, which receives Kokua funding to support their Ke Ala Learning Center.
Environmental Education Mini-Grants
Teachers from Hawai’i public schools can apply for mini-grants to help advance their environmental education goals.
11,500 students at 41 schools received assistance for environmental education supplies, curricula, and workshops. Mini-grants supported vermicomposting workshops, garden supplies, aquaponics systems, and more this school year.
Kokua Earth Action Projects (KEAP)
KEAP is an environmental service-learning initiative encouraging students to work toward creating lasting, positive change in their schools and communities.
During the 2010-2011 school year over 1,200 students from across the state completed KEAP projects. Projects included: “Green Schools Documentary,” “Our Garbage Isn’t Garbage Anymore,” and “Invasive Limu Eradication.”
Our 3 R’s Program encourages reducing, reusing, and recycling on campus by providing educational resources and recycling bins to participating schools
32,500 students at 45 participating schools reduce, reuse, and recycle on campus. Several of these schools have started composting and vermicomposting food and green waste on campus. Kokua sponsored a 3R’s School Recycling Drive at Kahuku High School and diverted over 8,000 lbs. of recyclables from the landfill.
Launched in March 2011, Plastic Free Schools aims to reduce single-use plastics on campuses. The program encourages students, faculty, and parents to make plastic free commitments like packing waste free lunches and carrying reusable bottles and tote bags. The program provides educational resources to make these commitments come to life.
40 students from 12 schools participated in our Student Ambassador Workshop at the 5th International Marine Debris Conference. Over 100 volunteers supported our co-sponsored beach clean up that removed an estimated 1.6 tons of marine debris in just 2 hours!
Plastic Free Hawai’i is a coalition of community members and business owners that strives to educate the stores, restaurants, schools, residents and visitors of Hawai’i on the environmental and health benefits of going plastic free to minimize the consumption and pollution of plastics in our islands
Currently over 60 businesses from Hale’iwa and Kailua towns have pledged to stop disbursing single-use plastics such as plastic bags, cups, and styrofoam containers.
Simplify the Holidays focuses on our traditional holiday dreams and ideals, while helping our local economy, environment and communities too.
Over 1,600 KHF members and friends pledged to give back to their environment and communities this past holiday season.
Educational Events allow us to share a variety of environmental issues with a broader community audience including parents, educators and school administrators
This year 500 people attended KHF-hosted film screenings and discussions, cooking demonstrations, school garden conferences and teacher institutes.
