Hālau Kupukupu Sustainability Day

August 3, 2016

This summer, middle school haumāna from the Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi Hālau Kupukupu Summer Innovations Academy teamed up with KS' Community Engagement and Resources Group (CE&R) and KUPU Hawaiʻi to design classroom curriculum and professional development tools for kumu centered on sustainability.

Amy Brinker, CE&R sustainability manager and Stephanie Burns with KUPU Hawaiʻi, organized a team of industry experts and sustainability interns to lead haumāna through various hands-on activities that connect to all four summer courses - Cloudy with a Chance of Poi Balls, H2Ola, Fish & Poi and Energy-neering.  Industry experts who assisted with the project include Lauren Roth, Roth Ecological Design and Dr. Daryoush Allaei from Sheerwind who graciously volunteered his time and hosted a workshop on wind energy at the Sustainability Day event.  

Kupukupu means “to sprout or grow” as leaves, blossoms, knowledge and ideas. As such, Hālau Kupukupu offers a number of dynamic Hawaiian culture-based educational opportunities that inspire young learners as they sprout, grow and mature into good and industrious learners and the next generation of ‘ōiwi leaders who will steward the future.

Hālau Kupukupu Innovations Academy Summer School is a four-week learning adventure that engages students in fun, hands-on experiences in and out of the classroom. As action researchers, students take field trips, learn from community experts, and explore the rich outdoor learning environment of Moku o Keawe (Hawai‘i Island). The program offers educational opportunities that inspire passion for learning and enable young learners to be successful and prepared for the next school year. Hālau Kupukupu Innovations Academy is a K-12 summer program.

Check out these pictures of haumāna participating in some of the fun-tastic Sustainability Day activities!