Page 8 - MidWeek East - March 1, 2023

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MARCH 1, 2023
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Students Propagating ‘Ulu Trees for Schools on O‘ahu (SPROUTS-O‘ahu) program, has been selected to receive funding through the U.S. For- est Service’s 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Grant. This program supports stu- dents from Kaimukī Middle School in propagating and planting ‘ulu trees. My office followed up with the school’s staff to discuss what this will do for students.
and spirit.” It has been recog- nized several times in the past for its work, including receiv- ing the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award. Now, the school’s work is be- ing awarded again.
tributed and planted across 25 schools on O‘ahu.
well, it may lead to other schools embarking on some- thing similar as well.
menting Community Based Instruction to work with kids with disabilities who normal- ly are unable to be with other students in traditional class- rooms.
“School plays an important role in the community ecosys- tem,” says Lam.
Kaimukī Middle is “a place with heart that challenges and strengthens the mind, body
It goes further than just these 50 trees because if Kaimukī Middle can do it
Creating the next genera- tion of visionaries is the main goal of the project, to remind students that they are a part of the solution.
STATE SEN. STANLEY CHANG
East O‘ahu School Uses Funds For Sustainability
SPROUTS-O‘ahu is a ser- vice-learning project that puts students and teachers — who are typically in the classroom — outside to work with na- ture. For the first time, KMS is partnering with the Hawai‘i Department of Education to receive expert guidance from its staff at the Plant Nursery while propagating 50 ‘ulu trees. These trees will be dis-
“We’ve never embarked on a project of this scale across all departments, so it’s quite an adventure,” Lam says. “The teachers and kids are excited to do our little part in helping to cultivate aloha ‘aina, tackle climate change and food sus- tainability challenges in our community.”
For Lam and other teach- ers at Kaimukī Middle, this project is all about empow- erment.
According to Kaimukī Middle science teacher Li- anna Lam, it’s not just about fighting climate change.
The SPROUTS project gives students the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world. It will provide students with a more advanced knowledge in ecology as they experiment with different types of envi- ronments, water management and soils.
In the coming months, Kaimukī Middle looks for- ward to working with the DOE to propagate ‘ulu trees at public and charter schools across the island while en- hancing their students’ learn- ing through mālama ‘āina.
It also gets students in- volved in the community and gives them other life skills. As the teachers work with the students to put aloha into action, they are also imple-
“It’s for the kids. I want to empower them to be vision- aries in whatever communi- ty they choose,” she says.
Contact state Sen. Stanley Chang (D-9 — Hawai‘i Kai, Kuli‘ou‘ou Niu, ‘Āina Haina, Wai‘alae-Kāhala, Diamond Head, Kaimukī and Kapahu- lu) at 808-586-8420 or sen- chang@capitol.hawaii.gov.
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