Our community science based stream health monitoring and management initiative focuses on improving the quality of and care for the 3 waters of Pālolo, Mānoa, and Makiki- that flow into the Ala Wai. Led by UH stream biologist Cory Yap, and place & project-based educator, Andi Charuk, Paʻēpaʻē o Waikolu partners with dozens of schools per year to prepare K-12 students to conduct real field surveys that contribute fish population and biodiversity data to a public database used by researchers, government agencies, and our own partner students to advance the knowledge of and care for our native migratory animals. Data cataloguing the animals inhabiting our urban waterways can tell students a lot about the overall health of our watershed, and give them pathways towards further investigation, improved care, and public advocacy. 

From their time in partnership with us, we hope students... 

  • begin to grasp the significance and preciousness of our wai

  • form foundational pilina with Hawaiʻi’s unique streams and stream fauna

  • become equipped with the confidence, content knowledge, and field skills necessary to generate real data for monitoring fish populations and stream health

  • recognize the potential for scientific practice to be rooted in aloha and mālama ʻāina/wai 

  • feel encouraged to ask hard questions about the future of watershed health in urban Honolulu

  • become active caretakers and advocates for our kahawai and their inhabitants

  • visualize college and career pathways in this important work

If this type of learning experience aligns with your teaching philosophy and the goals of your curriculum this year, please see the calendar below for openings!

Registration

Please use the form below to register interest in partnering with us this year!                                                  If the form appears as a blank box, that means we are at capacity and have closed registration for the year. Feel free to email Andi at acharuk@iolani.org with any registration issues or questions. 

For more programmatic info, watch this quick overview video here

For more logistical info on how the lessons work, please see our "Lesson Sequence Guide" here.

As recipients of NOAA-BWET funding, we encourage our partner teachers to access these Meaningful Watershed Education Experience resources and consider using your field experience with us to launch an "enduring stewardship project" in your place.

*IMPORTANT NOTE* In order to honor the need to partner with schools as widely as possible, we will no longer be registering multiple grade levels (elem) or multiple content areas(HS) from any one school. Ex: A complex area could register 1 grade level in elementary, one team (~100 students) in middle school, and one teacherʻs line (~100students) in high school, but not two from any one school in the complex. Please discuss with your faculty to ensure your school is mindful of this change.