Kahuku High and Intermediate School - Green Team
Embedded Files
Tour Kahuku High's Green Initiatives & Resources
Link To:
If you would like your school to visit our sustainability program, feel free to contact us.
Our school hours are generally M-F from 8am to 3pm.
All campus visitors must report to the administration office, fill out a visitor form, and wear a visitor badge.
Suggested places to visit that are nearby:
Kahuku Farms, Mohala Farms, Keana Farms Zip Line, Polynesian Cultural Center, Turtle Bay Resort
Definition of Environmental Sustainability:
http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/EnvironmentalSustainability.htm
Finding and Resolving the Root Causes of the Sustainability Problem:
http://www.thwink.org/
Lexicon of Sustainability:
https://www.lexiconoffood.com/terms
Kahuku Green Team Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/kahukugreenteam/
More files:
Protecting and Enriching Hawaii’s Precious Soil Using Waste Resources
Project Title
Protecting and Enriching Hawaii’s Precious Soil Using Waste Resources
Summary (Max 500 characters)
Due to shrinking water and arable land supplies caused by over-population, and the increasing energy cost to transport food to and within Hawaii, our people may eventually be forced to grow crops in their own homes and yards using very efficient farming methods that use less water. It is vital that young people begin learning, practicing and innovating methods of reducing, reusing and recycling waste resources as growing mediums to grow organic plants faster and more efficiently.
Please describe your innovation
(Max 1000 characters)
We plan to create a cross curricular sustainability program for Kahuku High & Intermediate students using our donated 2 acre agricultural site next to the campus. The core objectives of the program are to study, discover and share methods of creating rich compost soil that accelerates organic plant growth and reduces irrigation. Waste products used for composting will include discarded food and milk, pathogen-free sewage sludge pellets, shredded paper and discarded wood pallets burned to create biochar. Vermicast, worm tea, composted green waste, EM-1 micro-organisms (using waste milk, rice water, molasses), Bokashi fertilizer and glycerin would be introduced to explore effects on microbial growth compost production speed. Mycorrhizal fungi, fish droppings, peat moss, vermiculite might be added to enhance soil quality and water retention. We will explore the use of heat energy from the compost piles to heat a small greenhouse for sprout production.
What is the problem or situation that your innovation seeks to address?
Our innovations seeks to address Hawaii’s food dependence and vulnerability caused by our reliance on one shipping company to transport 90% of its food supply the lack of awareness among most people that our food source is vulnerable to politics and economics outside our control. Most people are so disconnected from their food sources that they don't realize how precarious the food situation is. We wish to educate our youth about the food supply and our potential food crisis. At the same time, we want to provide them with practical knowledge and tools for circumventing the problems. Future Hawaii lawns may display square foot gardens growing fruits and vegetables and aquaponic systems providing perpetual sources of organic food and clean water, rather than green lawns. In addition, growing food at home using enriched soil could help minimize the impact of a sudden pandemic, terrorist attack, or other disaster (hurricanes, tsunamis) that prevents access to centralized food sources. By educating our youth with our innovative program, we can shift Hawaii towards sustainability.
What effort have you made to test out your new idea
Teachers have received sustainability training from The Green House Hawaii, BYUH Sustainability Program, Olomana Gardens, Kolea Farms, McKinley High School’s Biochar program. Students in our agriculture, AVID and sustainability programs started a composting project in January 2012. They are sorting and weighing all liquid, food, tray, recyclable bottles and cans, refuseable waste from the school cafeteria each day, thus diverting the liquid and food waste from the dumpsters and putting it into compost piles (see graph). They maintain worm farms to add vermicast, worm tea, and worms to the compost piles. Students also add shredded paper and dried mulch. We are collecting used wood pallets, which normally end up in dumpsters, to create biochar. We have started a Green Team on campus to coordinate soil composting curriculum from science, culinary arts, AVID, agriculture and construction.
What is particularly noteworthy or novel about your innovation
We have discovered ways to tie in our sustainability initiatives, particularly those dealing with soil and energy, into the Hawaii Department of Education’s standards, and into the federal Green Ribbon School requirements. As students participate in our sustainability program, reducing, reusing and recycling will become habits. They will understand problems that our food supply faces and will acquire skills and knowledge on how to make rich organic soil to speed up plant growth and reduce water consumption, and how to grow food in their yards. Growing organic fruits and vegetables, and learning to prepare and eat them will alter the ways in which our young people view food. We believe this can help change the eating habits that have resulted in this generation's poorer health and lowered life expectancy.
What impact do you expect your innovation will have on the problem or situation described in the previous question
Diverting food waste minimizes the amount of rubbish being accumulated in landfills and also provides a free resource to enrich soils for healthy, organic food production. We would like to create rich, organic soil to transform our schools from the asphalt, 'prison yard' look to attractive edible schoolyards that can provide students with fresh, organic produce anytime they are hungry instead of being dependent on processed foods that are prepared miles away from the school cafeteria. Our innovations will help families in our community learn how to grow healthy plants quickly, affordably and easily from waste products that are readily available. We would like to grow healthy food in our own organic soil next to the cafeteria to save money and to provide an alternative to processed food. Creating rich organic soil could provide the foundation for growing and serving healthy food in cafeterias.
What other community partners will you need if your innovation is to scale beyond your organization
We invited Kahuku High alum Jack Johnson (Kokua Hawaii Foundation founder), General Michael J. Terry of the Hawaii Sustainability Command, officials from Ulupono Initiative, Malaekahana Hui and the City and County of Honolulu federal workforce program, and a Synagro plant manager to help kick start our green initiatives. On March 12, 2012, our school was selected and recognized by the State of Hawaii and Senator Hirono to be a Green Ribbon School. Our program has been enriched from the generous efforts of many community volunteers, students, teachers, custodial staff, and administrators, soldiers from the Hawaii Sustainability Command. We are consulting with waste management consultants from the US mainland and Canada in case we have the financial means to expand our program.
Why are your organization, partners, and key personnel suited to take on this project
Our sponsors, partners and key personnel are best suited for this project because they have a common goal of educating our youth and adults in methods that lead to a sustainable Hawaii. Many of these sponsors have expertise in sustainable agriculture and other systems to grow and maintain sustainable food sources. We have teachers excited and willing to introduce sustainability methods in to the STEM programs at our school. Glenn Martinez of Olomana Gardens has suggested we expand STEM to include Agriculture: STEAM. By including Hands-On-Training to our learning model, it becomes - HOT STEAM! Our high school advisors are using our program for students that need remedial help since students seem to relate better to real-life applications of STEM education. Counselors can refer students to do community service projects during the lunch hour in the cafeteria, even lock-out students confined in the cafeteria can help with our soil projects. Our goal is to have students teach sustainability and have the content distributed on ‘Olelo and youtube so we can share our curriculum and projects with as many students as possible. To expand our soil enrichment program, members of our green team are planning to take a masters program in sustainability.
Aquaponics Info
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.
In an aquaponics system, water is pumped up from the fish tank into the gravel-filled grow bed. The water trickles down through the gravel, past the roots of the plants before draining back into the fish tank. The plants extract the water and nutrients they need to grow, cleaning the water for the fish. There are bacteria that live on the surface of the gravel. This bacteria converts ammonia wastes from the fish into nitrates that can be used by the plants. This ammonia waste being converted into nitrates is often termed “the nitrogen cycle”.
Grow beds filled with a media such as gravel or expanded clay pebbles is a common method of growing plants in an aquaponic system. Plants can be grown in floating foam rafts that sit on the water surface. Vegetables can also be grown using a “run to waste” style of growing. This is done by removing a percentage of the fish water each day and watering vegetables planted in different media such as coir peat, vermiculite, perlite, etc. Many different species of freshwater fish can be grown in aquaponic systems such as sunfish and talapia.
High densities of fish can be grown in aquaponic systems, and because of the recirculating nature of the systems very little water is used. Research has shown that an aquaponic system uses about 1/10th of the water used to grow vegetables in the ground. Aquaponics can be as simple or as complex as one would like to make it.
Why Teach Aquaponics and Renewable Energy Technologies at Kahuku?
There is only a 4-5 day food supply in the State of Hawaii for a population of over 1 million people since only 5% of the food is grown locally. How will Hawaii residents cope if something prevents food supplies from reaching the islands? Most residents do not have a 3 day food supply nor do they have a vegetable garden in their backyard. Imagine a disaster worse than Katrina affecting Hawaii. It took almost a week for the federal government to respond to Louisiana, even though the state is connected to the mainland, whereas Hawaii is over 2 thousand miles away in the middle of the ocean. Over 1 million people and livestock need food and water everyday.
During the past few decades, children have grown accustomed to watching their parents purchase inexpensive imported food from local grocery stores or big box warehouses. Many parents purchase fast food everyday because of its low cost and convenience. Because of the time, high cost and lack of land available to farmers, many people have given up on the idea of growing their own food. Our grandparents who lived during the depression know better however, and have dutifully kept food stocks in their basements or cellars (canned fruits, store wheat and bottled water).
Our current food situation in Hawaii and the US mainland is both perilous and unhealthy. Almost 40% of Americans are considered overweight because they have switched from eating organic vegetable and fruits to calorie-packed fast foods and sugary beverages which lead to preventable diseases such as diabetes.
Ancient Hawaiians were once the masters of sustainability. When Captain Cook of the mighty British Empire arrived in Hawaii over 200 years ago, he described the natives as the healthiest people he had ever seen in his life. Hawaiians were the masters in the world in creating ahupua’a that sustained a population of over a million people using taro fields, fish ponds, water terraces, etc. The rank and power of a chief in Hawaiian society was based on how well he sustained one’s community with food and water. After western civilization killed off over 95% of Hawaiians with western diseases, many of Hawaii’s advanced farming technologies were lost. Some early missionaries considered Hawaiian weathermen, who predicted rainfall for a community’s crops, to be witch doctors and were put to death.
Now that today’s Hawaii’s population, use of land and food sources have become unsustainable, it is important to look back in history to learn what the ancient Hawaiians did to be healthy and sustainable. Even Hawaii’s State Motto affirms the importance of sustainability. “Ua Mau Ke Ea o Ka Aina i Ka Pono,” The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness. Ancient Hawaiians used aquaponics (fish ponds and lo’i fields) on a large scale to keep their large population.
A modern aquaponic system can also be incredibly productive. An aquaponics system can produce 100 pounds of fish, and hundreds of pounds of vegetables within 6 months in an area about the size of an average carport. This is a system that requires no bending, no weeding, no fertilizers, and only uses about the same power it takes to run a couple of light bulbs to power small electric pumps.
Who Should be Involved?
In this type of living model of learning, the older student learn and then teach. The teachers and mentors also learn while creating the learning environment. People of all ages, backgrounds and levels of education can be involved in aquaponics. The symbolism of how plants and fish can help each other can also be applied in how human can develop positive long term relationships in mutually beneficial give and take agreement to fill each other’s needs. Our young students need to see a food sustainability model that differs from our present situation which requires plastic packaging for transporting food that turns into waste that needlessly fills our landfills and oceans.
For example, a kupuna teaches keiki about learning from the past to avoid mistakes and to provide a better future. A keikigives back to kupuna by fulfilling their directions. The success of a community depends on the level of support its members have for its education, its quality of leadership and how they find ways to protect our health and the environment to improve our quality of life.
We would like the aquaponics project to be expanded to the entire community so that everyone can see that communities can also visualize the importance of its beneficial symbiotic relationships in action.
Where?
Our goal is to create at least 2-3 student learning aquaponics projects for 3 different
target groups. First for high school aged youth, we have approval to build a functioning unit at Kahuku High School, behind the shop class Z3. Our second project would be built at Na Kama Lei for the preschool children with Kahuku students as the mentors. If we have the resources we would like to have the best Kahuku students lead the construction of a project either at Kahuku Elementary School or a project could be for the Native local youth in Kahana Bay under the supervision of the aquaculture and lo’i specialist and kupuna Ben Shaffer.
How?
Using a hands-on approach to creative, fun, active learning. Plants, water, fish and the environment become teachers.
Dr. Sands Learning Approach:
Step 1: Learn one: The student group would be given a camera and a list of learning resources including, visiting existing models. Their job would be to work as journalist to research the story, to interview both Kupuna who build the models and professors in the universities who write the books.
Step 2: Do one: The mentors such as myself and Dr. Sand would provide a budget and choices for the student group for purchasing the materials need to build, seed, stock and maintain the living cycles. The students would film their learning process and film a documentary of the stages. This footage becomes part of the student curriculum.
Step 3. Teach one: The students are asked to write down the process and these notes become the script for the student film. By the time the garden is working and the student film is complete the students have become capable of teaching the next students. In becoming the teacher as an end goal, the students learn not for passing a multiple choice test, but instead they learn with focused responsibility, with a sense of leadership and the energy that comes from self-directed creativity.
Bonus outcome:
The results from a successful aquaponics project is food, a sustainable ongoing supply. Add organic toppings such as organic onions, tomatoes, peppers, herbs for pizzas; fish tacos. Who doesn’t like to eat fresh organic food?
When?
We would like to begin constructing an aquaponics system by the end of June 2011 and have aquaponics curriculum developed by students by July 2011. All of the aquaponics equipment is all available on Oahu, which will save time and avoids shipping charges and packaging materials. While it can take a few weeks to create the living cycle of a professionally installed system, each student directed system would take 4-6 weeks.
Content Area: Career and Technical Education
Grade/Course: 9-12
ACCN: No ACCN
Standard 1: TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN: Design, modify, and apply technology to effectively and efficiently solve problems
TOPIC:
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.1: No benchmark at this level
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
RUBRIC
Advanced:
Proficient:
Partially Proficient:
Novice:
Standard 2: CAREER PLANNING: Explore and understand educational and career options in order to develop and implement personal, educational, and career goals
TOPIC: Career Goals and Options
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.1: Analyze annual individual education and career goals
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Evaluates and updates earlier education and career goals (e.g., determines whether they are achievable; incorporates a timeline; identifies career pathway requirements and resources required to pursue the career; conducts an annual evaluation of educational and career goals; revises plan as appropriate).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Analyze, in great detail, annual individual education and career goals
Proficient: Analyze, in detail, annual individual education and career goals
Partially Proficient: Analyze, in some detail, annual individual education and career goals
Novice: Analyze, in minimal detail, annual individual education and career goals
TOPIC: Career Goals and Options
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.2: Evaluate potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Applies a decision-making model to compare a list of potential career choices to personal interests, strengths, and values (e.g., uses career assessment information; engages in job shadowing, volunteer opportunities, apprenticeships, internships, mentorships).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Evaluate, in great detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
Proficient: Evaluate, in detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
Partially Proficient: Evaluate, in some detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
Novice: Evaluate, in minimal detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
TOPIC: Workplace Behaviors
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.3: Apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Demonstrates safe behaviors and practices appropriate for the school, community, and workplace (e.g., reliability, punctuality, regular attendance, task completion, meeting deadlines, adaptability, politeness, honesty, taking responsibility for actions, working cooperatively, adhering to safety guidelines and procedures, maintaining appropriate appearance and hygiene for the workplace).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Consistently apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
Proficient: Usually apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
Partially Proficient: Sometimes apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
Novice: Rarely apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
TOPIC: Career Portfolio Development
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.4: Assess career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Evaluates and modifies career portfolio, written plan, CD, or website to update earlier education and career plans and includes goal statements, actions, and experiences (e.g. volunteer work, education, resume(s), references, work samples, certificates or awards, records of attendance, transcripts).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Assess, in great detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
Proficient: Assess, in detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
Partially Proficient: Assess, in some detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
Novice: Assess, in minimal detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
TOPIC: Job Search Resources
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.5: Analyze the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Assesses demographic, geographic, and technological trends and explains how they may affect opportunities in a chosen career.
RUBRIC
Advanced: Analyze, in great detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
Proficient: Analyze, in detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
Partially Proficient: Analyze, in some detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
Novice: Analyze, in minimal detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
TOPIC: Job Application Process
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.6: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Prepares resume, letters of application or inquiry, and fills out job applications.
RUBRIC
Advanced: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with accuracy
Proficient: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with no significant errors
Partially Proficient: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with a few significant errors
Novice: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with many significant errors
TOPIC: Job Application Process
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.7: Prepare for the job interview process
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT : The student: Engages in necessary steps to prepare for the job interview process (e.g., prepares for employment tests, knows questions interviewers can and cannot ask, role plays a job interview).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Prepare for the job interview process, with completeness and accuracy
Proficient: Prepare for the job interview process, with no significant errors
Partially Proficient: Prepare for the job interview process, with a few significant errors
Novice: Prepare for the job interview process, with many significant errors
TOPIC: Job Benefits
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.8: Assess the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT : The student: Evaluates the job benefits associated with careers of interest (e.g., salaries, working conditions, lifestyle, health coverage, retirement, professional development, vacation).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Assess, in great detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
Proficient: Assess, in detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
Partially Proficient: Assess, in some detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
Novice: Assess, in minimal detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.
In an aquaponics system, water is pumped up from the fish tank into the gravel-filled grow bed. The water trickles down through the gravel, past the roots of the plants before draining back into the fish tank. The plants extract the water and nutrients they need to grow, cleaning the water for the fish. There are bacteria that live on the surface of the gravel. This bacteria converts ammonia wastes from the fish into nitrates that can be used by the plants. This ammonia waste being converted into nitrates is often termed “the nitrogen cycle”.
Grow beds filled with a media such as gravel or expanded clay pebbles is a common method of growing plants in an aquaponic system. Plants can be grown in floating foam rafts that sit on the water surface. Vegetables can also be grown using a “run to waste” style of growing. This is done by removing a percentage of the fish water each day and watering vegetables planted in different media such as coir peat, vermiculite, perlite, etc. Many different species of freshwater fish can be grown in aquaponic systems such as sunfish and talapia.
High densities of fish can be grown in aquaponic systems, and because of the recirculating nature of the systems very little water is used. Research has shown that an aquaponic system uses about 1/10th of the water used to grow vegetables in the ground. Aquaponics can be as simple or as complex as one would like to make it.
Why Teach Aquaponics and Renewable Energy Technologies at Kahuku?
There is only a 4-5 day food supply in the State of Hawaii for a population of over 1 million people since only 5% of the food is grown locally. How will Hawaii residents cope if something prevents food supplies from reaching the islands? Most residents do not have a 3 day food supply nor do they have a vegetable garden in their backyard. Imagine a disaster worse than Katrina affecting Hawaii. It took almost a week for the federal government to respond to Louisiana, even though the state is connected to the mainland, whereas Hawaii is over 2 thousand miles away in the middle of the ocean. Over 1 million people and livestock need food and water everyday.
During the past few decades, children have grown accustomed to watching their parents purchase inexpensive imported food from local grocery stores or big box warehouses. Many parents purchase fast food everyday because of its low cost and convenience. Because of the time, high cost and lack of land available to farmers, many people have given up on the idea of growing their own food. Our grandparents who lived during the depression know better however, and have dutifully kept food stocks in their basements or cellars (canned fruits, store wheat and bottled water).
Our current food situation in Hawaii and the US mainland is both perilous and unhealthy. Almost 40% of Americans are considered overweight because they have switched from eating organic vegetable and fruits to calorie-packed fast foods and sugary beverages which lead to preventable diseases such as diabetes.
Ancient Hawaiians were once the masters of sustainability. When Captain Cook of the mighty British Empire arrived in Hawaii over 200 years ago, he described the natives as the healthiest people he had ever seen in his life. Hawaiians were the masters in the world in creating ahupua’a that sustained a population of over a million people using taro fields, fish ponds, water terraces, etc. The rank and power of a chief in Hawaiian society was based on how well he sustained one’s community with food and water. After western civilization killed off over 95% of Hawaiians with western diseases, many of Hawaii’s advanced farming technologies were lost. Some early missionaries considered Hawaiian weathermen, who predicted rainfall for a community’s crops, to be witch doctors and were put to death.
Now that today’s Hawaii’s population, use of land and food sources have become unsustainable, it is important to look back in history to learn what the ancient Hawaiians did to be healthy and sustainable. Even Hawaii’s State Motto affirms the importance of sustainability. “Ua Mau Ke Ea o Ka Aina i Ka Pono,” The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness. Ancient Hawaiians used aquaponics (fish ponds and lo’i fields) on a large scale to keep their large population.
A modern aquaponic system can also be incredibly productive. An aquaponics system can produce 100 pounds of fish, and hundreds of pounds of vegetables within 6 months in an area about the size of an average carport. This is a system that requires no bending, no weeding, no fertilizers, and only uses about the same power it takes to run a couple of light bulbs to power small electric pumps.
Who Should be Involved?
In this type of living model of learning, the older student learns and then teaches. The teachers and mentors also learn while creating the learning environment. People of all ages, backgrounds and levels of education can be involved in aquaponics. The symbolism of how plants and fish can help each other can also be applied in how human can develop positive long term relationships in mutually beneficial give and take agreement to fill each other’s needs. Our young students need to see a food sustainability model that differs from our present situation which requires plastic packaging for transporting food that turns into waste that needlessly fills our landfills and oceans.
For example, a kupuna teaches keiki about learning from the past to avoid mistakes and to provide a better future. A keikigives back to kupuna by fulfilling their directions. The success of a community depends on the level of support its members have for its education, its quality of leadership and how they find ways to protect our health and the environment to improve our quality of life.
We would like the aquaponics project to be expanded to the entire community so that everyone can see that communities can also visualize the importance of its beneficial symbiotic relationships in action.
Where?
Our goal is to create at least 100 student learning aquaponics projects for 3 different target groups. First for high school aged youth, we have approval to build a functioning unit at Kahuku High School, behind the shop class Z3. Our second project would be built at Na Kama Lei for the preschool children with Kahuku students as the mentors. If we have the resources we would like to have the best Kahuku students lead the construction of a project either at Kahuku Elementary School.
How?
Using a hands-on approach to creative, fun, active learning. Plants, water, fish and the environment become teachers.
Dr. Sands Learning Approach:
Step 1: Learn one: The student group would be given a camera and a list of learning resources including, visiting existing models. Their job would be to work as journalist to research the story, to interview both Kupuna who build the models and professors in the universities who write the books.
Step 2: Do one: The mentors such as myself and Dr. Sand would provide a budget and choices for the student group for purchasing the materials need to build, seed, stock and maintain the living cycles. The students would film their learning process and film a documentary of the stages. This footage becomes part of the student curriculum.
Step 3. Teach one: The students are asked to write down the process and these notes become the script for the student film. By the time the garden is working and the student film is complete the students have become capable of teaching the next students. In becoming the teacher as an end goal, the students learn not for passing a multiple choice test, but instead they learn with focused responsibility, with a sense of leadership and the energy that comes from self-directed creativity.
Bonus outcome:
The results from a successful aquaponics project is food, a sustainable ongoing supply. Add organic toppings such as organic onions, tomatoes, peppers, herbs for pizzas; fish tacos. Who doesn’t like to eat fresh organic food?
When?
We would like to begin constructing an aquaponics system by the end of June 2011 and have aquaponics curriculum developed by students by July 2011. All of the aquaponics equipment are all available on Oahu, which will save time and avoids shipping charges and packaging materials. While it can take a few weeks to create the living cycle of a professionally installed system, each student directed system would take 4-6 weeks.
Aquaponics: Revolutionizing Elementary School Lunches
Kiana Wilson
Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years and that approximately 17% (12.5 million) of children and adolescents are obese. Elementary school cafeteria factors influence negative eating behaviors for elementary students. A study from the Journal of Human Resources concluded that school lunches are increasing the risk of childhood obesity. According to the same study those who ate school lunches regularly were 29% more likely to be obese compared to their peers who brought home lunch (Readers Digest). Aquaponics, a sustainable system that produces healthy, organic food, would be a positive investment for all elementary schools in America because the scalable systems are cost-efficient and promote a well balanced diet. The current foods served by elementary school cafeteria are adversely affecting children’s health and contributing to many childhood diseases. This paper will provide evidence for this linkage of cafeteria food and childhood obesity, diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyles and explore possible solutions in connection to aquaponics.
Food served in elementary cafeterias contribute to childhood obesity as the food lacks in nutritional value and good quality. For instance, according to a CNN report, the number 1 meal served to children in U.S. schools is chicken fingers and French fries (2). Because the National School Lunch Program is grossly under-funded, most schools fail to meet regulatory standards and specific benchmarks. Schools cannot afford to buy local, organic produce (2) Thus, implementing an aquaponics system, in which the system is completely independent and renewable will prove cost-effective and most importantly, nutritious. Aquaponics is the hydroponic production of plants and the aquaculture production of fish in a controlled system that uses natural cycles to supply nitrogen and reusable water (Christensen 1). Cafeteria foods may also encourage unhealthy lifestyles because some lunchrooms across the country are supplying students with fast-food items like Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, slices from Pizza Hut, and Panda Express rice bowls (Education). In contrast, in an aquaponic system, tilapia and yellow perch are raised in large tanks of water as well as fresh, organic vegetables, fruits, spices and herbs. To compare food served in cafeterias and foods produced in an aquaponic system, aquaponic foods can provide a full meal, vegetables and protein, without any input (Visscher 355) The vegetables contain much more vitamins and nutrients as they intake the waste from the fish and use it as fertilizer. The concept of food security is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the following way: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Household food security is the application of this concept to the family level, with individuals within households as the focus of concern.”(Christensen 1) There is a strong linkage between the food children eat at school and the state of their health.
Secondly, there are numerous diseases, many of them preventable, associated with obesity and being overweight. Some diseases include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, osetoarthirisis, atherosclerosis, work disability and sleep apnea (Neumark-Sztainer 929). Meals with fast-food characteristics are the cause of the increasing prevalence of obesity in society today. Foods that are served in large portions with a high energy density, and sugar-rich soft drink contain high dietary fat content and more calories of fat. High intake of trans fats lead to abdominal obesity and weight gain. There are many diseases linked to having an unhealthy lifestyle and being obese. To understand the science of obesity we must understand the metabolic processes that the body undergoes. When there is a lack of exercise, the chemical process of maintaining our body also become less efficient and our body thus becomes less efficient at processing calories. (Neumark-Sztainer 929) Genetics is also linked to obesity as genes are passed down from one generation to another to influence traits. Thus, it is likely that one may be predisposed to being overweight and develop a specific disease. Fat cells produce a hormone, leptin, which control the appetite and functions to tell the brain that the body is full and finished eating. Overweight individuals have higher levels of leptin that the average person and thus the messages sent by the hormone leptin never reach the brain and usually get lost in the process (Stice 660). These factors can lead to fatal diseases like Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, arthritis, cancer, etc. For example, one can develop type 2 diabetes from over eating and indulging and foods with high sugars. Glucose is an type of sugar and when one intakes too much sugar it can trigger insulin resistance (Astrup 40). A diet high in saturated fats and sugar can also lead to heart disease in which the heart is incapable of pumping correctly and the arteries are narrowed. Heart disease is responsible for 40% of deaths in the United States alone and is mostly due to obesity (World Health Organization).
Thus, I propose a solution that elementary schools use aquaponics systems on their property since it would provide fresh organic food such as salads, in place of their frozen, processed food. Students would be able to learn that by eating healthy food they can prevent disease and promote a foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Growing organic food with aquaponics could also help inmates in prisons and patients in mental hospitals help improve their health with both nutritious meals and taking responsibilities to care for plants and fish. This could help cut down the tension and provide inmates and patients a career opportunity after they have been released.
References:
Astrup, A., Dyerberg, J., Selleck, M. and Stender, S. (2008), Nutrition transition and its
relationship to the development of obesity and related chronic diseases. Obesity Reviews, 9: 48–52. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2007.00438.x
Reader's Digest. "Can School Lunches Cause Obesity? | Reader's Digest." Health Tips,
Food and Recipes, Funny Jokes and Cartoons, and Sweepstakes | Reader’s Digest. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
"Why School Cafeterias Are Dishing Out Fast Food | Education.com." Education.com
An Education & Child Development Site for Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.
In an aquaponics system, water is pumped up from the fish tank into the gravel-filled grow bed. The water trickles down through the gravel, past the roots of the plants before draining back into the fish tank. The plants extract the water and nutrients they need to grow, cleaning the water for the fish. There are bacteria that live on the surface of the gravel. This bacteria converts ammonia wastes from the fish into nitrates that can be used by the plants. This ammonia waste being converted into nitrates is often termed “the nitrogen cycle”.
Grow beds filled with a media such as gravel or expanded clay pebbles is a common method of growing plants in an aquaponic system. Plants can be grown in floating foam rafts that sit on the water surface. Vegetables can also be grown using a “run to waste” style of growing. This is done by removing a percentage of the fish water each day and watering vegetables planted in different media such as coir peat, vermiculite, perlite, etc. Many different species of freshwater fish can be grown in aquaponic systems such as sunfish and talapia.
High densities of fish can be grown in aquaponic systems, and because of the recirculating nature of the systems very little water is used. Research has shown that an aquaponic system uses about 1/10th of the water used to grow vegetables in the ground. Aquaponics can be as simple or as complex as one would like to make it.
Why Teach Aquaponics and Renewable Energy Technologies at Kahuku?
There is only a 4-5 day food supply in the State of Hawaii for a population of over 1 million people since only 5% of the food is grown locally. How will Hawaii residents cope if something prevents food supplies from reaching the islands? Most residents do not have a 3 day food supply nor do they have a vegetable garden in their backyard. Imagine a disaster worse than Katrina affecting Hawaii. It took almost a week for the federal government to respond to Louisiana, even though the state is connected to the mainland, whereas Hawaii is over 2 thousand miles away in the middle of the ocean. Over 1 million people and livestock need food and water everyday.
During the past few decades, children have grown accustomed to watching their parents purchase inexpensive imported food from local grocery stores or big box warehouses. Many parents purchase fast food everyday because of its low cost and convenience. Because of the time, high cost and lack of land available to farmers, many people have given up on the idea of growing their own food. Our grandparents who lived during the depression know better however, and have dutifully kept food stocks in their basements or cellars (canned fruits, store wheat and bottled water).
Our current food situation in Hawaii and the US mainland is both perilous and unhealthy. Almost 40% of Americans are considered overweight because they have switched from eating organic vegetable and fruits to calorie-packed fast foods and sugary beverages which lead to preventable diseases such as diabetes.
Ancient Hawaiians were once the masters of sustainability. When Captain Cook of the mighty British Empire arrived in Hawaii over 200 years ago, he described the natives as the healthiest people he had ever seen in his life. Hawaiians were the masters in the world in creating ahupua’a that sustained a population of over a million people using taro fields, fish ponds, water terraces, etc. The rank and power of a chief in Hawaiian society was based on how well he sustained one’s community with food and water. After western civilization killed off over 95% of Hawaiians with western diseases, many of Hawaii’s advanced farming technologies were lost. Some early missionaries considered Hawaiian weathermen, who predicted rainfall for a community’s crops, to be witch doctors and were put to death.
Now that today’s Hawaii’s population, use of land and food sources have become unsustainable, it is important to look back in history to learn what the ancient Hawaiians did to be healthy and sustainable. Even Hawaii’s State Motto affirms the importance of sustainability. “Ua Mau Ke Ea o Ka Aina i Ka Pono,” The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness. Ancient Hawaiians used aquaponics (fish ponds and lo’i fields) on a large scale to keep their large population.
A modern aquaponic system can also be incredibly productive. An aquaponics system can produce 100 pounds of fish, and hundreds of pounds of vegetables within 6 months in an area about the size of an average carport. This is a system that requires no bending, no weeding, no fertilizers, and only uses about the same power it takes to run a couple of light bulbs to power small electric pumps.
Who Should be Involved?
In this type of living model of learning, the older student learn and then teach. The teachers and mentors also learn while creating the learning environment. People of all ages, backgrounds and levels of education can be involved in aquaponics. The symbolism of how plants and fish can help each other can also be applied in how human can develop positive long term relationships in mutually beneficial give and take agreement to fill each other’s needs. Our young students need to see a food sustainability model that differs from our present situation which requires plastic packaging for transporting food that turns into waste that needlessly fills our landfills and oceans.
For example, a kupuna teaches keiki about learning from the past to avoid mistakes and to provide a better future. A keikigives back to kupuna by fulfilling their directions. The success of a community depends on the level of support its members have for its education, its quality of leadership and how they find ways to protect our health and the environment to improve our quality of life.
We would like the aquaponics project to be expanded to the entire community so that everyone can see that communities can also visualize the importance of its beneficial symbiotic relationships in action.
Where?
Our goal is to create at least 2-3 student learning aquaponics projects for 3 different
target groups. First for high school aged youth, we have approval to build a functioning unit at Kahuku High School, behind the shop class Z3. Our second project would be built at Na Kama Lei for the preschool children with Kahuku students as the mentors. If we have the resources we would like to have the best Kahuku students lead the construction of a project either at Kahuku Elementary School or a project could be for the Native local youth in Kahana Bay under the supervision of the aquaculture and lo’i specialist and kupuna Ben Shaffer.
How?
Using a hands-on approach to creative, fun, active learning. Plants, water, fish and the environment become teachers.
Dr. Sands Learning Approach:
Step 1: Learn one: The student group would be given a camera and a list of learning resources including, visiting existing models. Their job would be to work as journalist to research the story, to interview both Kupuna who build the models and professors in the universities who write the books.
Step 2: Do one: The mentors such as myself and Dr. Sand would provide a budget and choices for the student group for purchasing the materials need to build, seed, stock and maintain the living cycles. The students would film their learning process and film a documentary of the stages. This footage becomes part of the student curriculum.
Step 3. Teach one: The students are asked to write down the process and these notes become the script for the student film. By the time the garden is working and the student film is complete the students have become capable of teaching the next students. In becoming the teacher as an end goal, the students learn not for passing a multiple choice test, but instead they learn with focused responsibility, with a sense of leadership and the energy that comes from self-directed creativity.
Bonus outcome:
The results from a successful aquaponics project is food, a sustainable ongoing supply. Add organic toppings such as organic onions, tomatoes, peppers, herbs for pizzas; fish tacos. Who doesn’t like to eat fresh organic food?
When?
We would like to begin constructing an aquaponics system by the end of June 2011 and have aquaponics curriculum developed by students by July 2011. All of the aquaponics equipment is all available on Oahu, which will save time and avoids shipping charges and packaging materials. While it can take a few weeks to create the living cycle of a professionally installed system, each student directed system would take 4-6 weeks.
Content Area: Career and Technical Education
Grade/Course: 9-12
ACCN: No ACCN
Standard 1: TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN: Design, modify, and apply technology to effectively and efficiently solve problems
TOPIC:
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.1: No benchmark at this level
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
RUBRIC
Advanced:
Proficient:
Partially Proficient:
Novice:
Standard 2: CAREER PLANNING: Explore and understand educational and career options in order to develop and implement personal, educational, and career goals
TOPIC: Career Goals and Options
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.1: Analyze annual individual education and career goals
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Evaluates and updates earlier education and career goals (e.g., determines whether they are achievable; incorporates a timeline; identifies career pathway requirements and resources required to pursue the career; conducts an annual evaluation of educational and career goals; revises plan as appropriate).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Analyze, in great detail, annual individual education and career goals
Proficient: Analyze, in detail, annual individual education and career goals
Partially Proficient: Analyze, in some detail, annual individual education and career goals
Novice: Analyze, in minimal detail, annual individual education and career goals
TOPIC: Career Goals and Options
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.2: Evaluate potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Applies a decision-making model to compare a list of potential career choices to personal interests, strengths, and values (e.g., uses career assessment information; engages in job shadowing, volunteer opportunities, apprenticeships, internships, mentorships).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Evaluate, in great detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
Proficient: Evaluate, in detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
Partially Proficient: Evaluate, in some detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
Novice: Evaluate, in minimal detail, potential career choices in relation to personal interests, strengths, and values
TOPIC: Workplace Behaviors
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.3: Apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Demonstrates safe behaviors and practices appropriate for the school, community, and workplace (e.g., reliability, punctuality, regular attendance, task completion, meeting deadlines, adaptability, politeness, honesty, taking responsibility for actions, working cooperatively, adhering to safety guidelines and procedures, maintaining appropriate appearance and hygiene for the workplace).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Consistently apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
Proficient: Usually apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
Partially Proficient: Sometimes apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
Novice: Rarely apply appropriate and safe behaviors and practices in the school, community, and workplace
TOPIC: Career Portfolio Development
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.4: Assess career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Evaluates and modifies career portfolio, written plan, CD, or website to update earlier education and career plans and includes goal statements, actions, and experiences (e.g. volunteer work, education, resume(s), references, work samples, certificates or awards, records of attendance, transcripts).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Assess, in great detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
Proficient: Assess, in detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
Partially Proficient: Assess, in some detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
Novice: Assess, in minimal detail, career portfolio that documents evidence of progress toward the attainment of personal, educational, and career goals
TOPIC: Job Search Resources
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.5: Analyze the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Assesses demographic, geographic, and technological trends and explains how they may affect opportunities in a chosen career.
RUBRIC
Advanced: Analyze, in great detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
Proficient: Analyze, in detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
Partially Proficient: Analyze, in some detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
Novice: Analyze, in minimal detail, the demographic, geographic, and technological trends that affect work opportunities
TOPIC: Job Application Process
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.6: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: The student: Prepares resume, letters of application or inquiry, and fills out job applications.
RUBRIC
Advanced: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with accuracy
Proficient: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with no significant errors
Partially Proficient: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with a few significant errors
Novice: Gather and prepare documents related to job-seeking, with many significant errors
TOPIC: Job Application Process
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.7: Prepare for the job interview process
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT : The student: Engages in necessary steps to prepare for the job interview process (e.g., prepares for employment tests, knows questions interviewers can and cannot ask, role plays a job interview).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Prepare for the job interview process, with completeness and accuracy
Proficient: Prepare for the job interview process, with no significant errors
Partially Proficient: Prepare for the job interview process, with a few significant errors
Novice: Prepare for the job interview process, with many significant errors
TOPIC: Job Benefits
BENCHMARK CTE.9-12.2.8: Assess the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT : The student: Evaluates the job benefits associated with careers of interest (e.g., salaries, working conditions, lifestyle, health coverage, retirement, professional development, vacation).
RUBRIC
Advanced: Assess, in great detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
Proficient: Assess, in detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
Partially Proficient: Assess, in some detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
Novice: Assess, in minimal detail, the compensation, lifestyle, and other benefits associated with careers of interest
ALOHA: The Aloha Spirit at Work!
Seed Planted -> Fruit of Seed -> Harvest
Forgiveness > Unity -> Joy
Patience > Order > Peace
Humility > Acceptance > Security
Respect > Admiration > Friendship
Honesty > Trust > Confidence
Responsibility > Maturity > Self-Control
Commitment > Perseverance > Strength
Discipline > Character > Success
MISERY
Seed Planted -> Fruit of Seed -> Harvest
Unforgiveness > Disunity -> Bitterness
Impatience > Disorder > Confusion
Disrespect > Enemies > Loneliness
Dishonor > Rejection > Anger
Lies/Deceit > Distrust > Suspicion
Irresponsibility > Immaturity > Recklessness
Uncommitted > Insecurity > Weak
Undisciplined > Disruption > Disorder
More positive quotes – use nature in photos
http://personalexcellence.co/blog/101-most-inspiring-quotes-of-all-time/#purpose
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.
In an aquaponics system, water is pumped up from the fish tank into the gravel-filled grow bed. The water trickles down through the gravel, past the roots of the plants before draining back into the fish tank. The plants extract the water and nutrients they need to grow, cleaning the water for the fish. There are bacteria that live on the surface of the gravel. This bacteria converts ammonia wastes from the fish into nitrates that can be used by the plants. This ammonia waste being converted into nitrates is often termed “the nitrogen cycle”.
Grow beds filled with a media such as gravel or expanded clay pebbles is a common method of growing plants in an aquaponic system. Plants can be grown in floating foam rafts that sit on the water surface. Vegetables can also be grown using a “run to waste” style of growing. This is done by removing a percentage of the fish water each day and watering vegetables planted in different media such as coir peat, vermiculite, perlite, etc. Many different species of freshwater fish can be grown in aquaponic systems such as sunfish and talapia.
High densities of fish can be grown in aquaponic systems, and because of the recirculating nature of the systems very little water is used. Research has shown that an aquaponic system uses about 1/10th of the water used to grow vegetables in the ground. Aquaponics can be as simple or as complex as one would like to make it.
Why Teach Aquaponics and Renewable Energy Technologies at Kahuku?
There is only a 4-5 day food supply in the State of Hawaii for a population of over 1 million people since only 5% of the food is grown locally. How will Hawaii residents cope if something prevents food supplies from reaching the islands? Most residents do not have a 3 day food supply nor do they have a vegetable garden in their backyard. Imagine a disaster worse than Katrina affecting Hawaii. It took almost a week for the federal government to respond to Louisiana, even though the state is connected to the mainland, whereas Hawaii is over 2 thousand miles away in the middle of the ocean. Over 1 million people and livestock need food and water everyday.
During the past few decades, children have grown accustomed to watching their parents purchase inexpensive imported food from local grocery stores or big box warehouses. Many parents purchase fast food everyday because of its low cost and convenience. Because of the time, high cost and lack of land available to farmers, many people have given up on the idea of growing their own food. Our grandparents who lived during the depression know better however, and have dutifully kept food stocks in their basements or cellars (canned fruits, store wheat and bottled water).
Our current food situation in Hawaii and the US mainland is both perilous and unhealthy. Almost 40% of Americans are considered overweight because they have switched from eating organic vegetable and fruits to calorie-packed fast foods and sugary beverages which lead to preventable diseases such as diabetes.
Ancient Hawaiians were once the masters of sustainability. When Captain Cook of the mighty British Empire arrived in Hawaii over 200 years ago, he described the natives as the healthiest people he had ever seen in his life. Hawaiians were the masters in the world in creating ahupua’a that sustained a population of over a million people using taro fields, fish ponds, water terraces, etc. The rank and power of a chief in Hawaiian society was based on how well he sustained one’s community with food and water. After western civilization killed off over 95% of Hawaiians with western diseases, many of Hawaii’s advanced farming technologies were lost. Some early missionaries considered Hawaiian weathermen, who predicted rainfall for a community’s crops, to be witch doctors and were put to death.
Now that today’s Hawaii’s population, use of land and food sources have become unsustainable, it is important to look back in history to learn what the ancient Hawaiians did to be healthy and sustainable. Even Hawaii’s State Motto affirms the importance of sustainability. “Ua Mau Ke Ea o Ka Aina i Ka Pono,” The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness. Ancient Hawaiians used aquaponics (fish ponds and lo’i fields) on a large scale to keep their large population.
A modern aquaponic system can also be incredibly productive. An aquaponics system can produce 100 pounds of fish, and hundreds of pounds of vegetables within 6 months in an area about the size of an average carport. This is a system that requires no bending, no weeding, no fertilizers, and only uses about the same power it takes to run a couple of light bulbs to power small electric pumps.
Who Should be Involved?
In this type of living model of learning, the older student learns and then teaches. The teachers and mentors also learn while creating the learning environment. People of all ages, backgrounds and levels of education can be involved in aquaponics. The symbolism of how plants and fish can help each other can also be applied in how human can develop positive long term relationships in mutually beneficial give and take agreement to fill each other’s needs. Our young students need to see a food sustainability model that differs from our present situation which requires plastic packaging for transporting food that turns into waste that needlessly fills our landfills and oceans.
For example, a kupuna teaches keiki about learning from the past to avoid mistakes and to provide a better future. A keikigives back to kupuna by fulfilling their directions. The success of a community depends on the level of support its members have for its education, its quality of leadership and how they find ways to protect our health and the environment to improve our quality of life.
We would like the aquaponics project to be expanded to the entire community so that everyone can see that communities can also visualize the importance of its beneficial symbiotic relationships in action.
Where?
Our goal is to create at least 100 student learning aquaponics projects for 3 different target groups. First for high school aged youth, we have approval to build a functioning unit at Kahuku High School, behind the shop class Z3. Our second project would be built at Na Kama Lei for the preschool children with Kahuku students as the mentors. If we have the resources we would like to have the best Kahuku students lead the construction of a project either at Kahuku Elementary School.
How?
Using a hands-on approach to creative, fun, active learning. Plants, water, fish and the environment become teachers.
Dr. Sands Learning Approach:
Step 1: Learn one: The student group would be given a camera and a list of learning resources including, visiting existing models. Their job would be to work as journalist to research the story, to interview both Kupuna who build the models and professors in the universities who write the books.
Step 2: Do one: The mentors such as myself and Dr. Sand would provide a budget and choices for the student group for purchasing the materials need to build, seed, stock and maintain the living cycles. The students would film their learning process and film a documentary of the stages. This footage becomes part of the student curriculum.
Step 3. Teach one: The students are asked to write down the process and these notes become the script for the student film. By the time the garden is working and the student film is complete the students have become capable of teaching the next students. In becoming the teacher as an end goal, the students learn not for passing a multiple choice test, but instead they learn with focused responsibility, with a sense of leadership and the energy that comes from self-directed creativity.
Bonus outcome:
The results from a successful aquaponics project is food, a sustainable ongoing supply. Add organic toppings such as organic onions, tomatoes, peppers, herbs for pizzas; fish tacos. Who doesn’t like to eat fresh organic food?
When?
We would like to begin constructing an aquaponics system by the end of June 2011 and have aquaponics curriculum developed by students by July 2011. All of the aquaponics equipment are all available on Oahu, which will save time and avoids shipping charges and packaging materials. While it can take a few weeks to create the living cycle of a professionally installed system, each student directed system would take 4-6 weeks.
Aquaponics: Revolutionizing Elementary School Lunches
Kiana Wilson
Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years and that approximately 17% (12.5 million) of children and adolescents are obese. Elementary school cafeteria factors influence negative eating behaviors for elementary students. A study from the Journal of Human Resources concluded that school lunches are increasing the risk of childhood obesity. According to the same study those who ate school lunches regularly were 29% more likely to be obese compared to their peers who brought home lunch (Readers Digest). Aquaponics, a sustainable system that produces healthy, organic food, would be a positive investment for all elementary schools in America because the scalable systems are cost-efficient and promote a well balanced diet. The current foods served by elementary school cafeteria are adversely affecting children’s health and contributing to many childhood diseases. This paper will provide evidence for this linkage of cafeteria food and childhood obesity, diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyles and explore possible solutions in connection to aquaponics.
Food served in elementary cafeterias contribute to childhood obesity as the food lacks in nutritional value and good quality. For instance, according to a CNN report, the number 1 meal served to children in U.S. schools is chicken fingers and French fries (2). Because the National School Lunch Program is grossly under-funded, most schools fail to meet regulatory standards and specific benchmarks. Schools cannot afford to buy local, organic produce (2) Thus, implementing an aquaponics system, in which the system is completely independent and renewable will prove cost-effective and most importantly, nutritious. Aquaponics is the hydroponic production of plants and the aquaculture production of fish in a controlled system that uses natural cycles to supply nitrogen and reusable water (Christensen 1). Cafeteria foods may also encourage unhealthy lifestyles because some lunchrooms across the country are supplying students with fast-food items like Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, slices from Pizza Hut, and Panda Express rice bowls (Education). In contrast, in an aquaponic system, tilapia and yellow perch are raised in large tanks of water as well as fresh, organic vegetables, fruits, spices and herbs. To compare food served in cafeterias and foods produced in an aquaponic system, aquaponic foods can provide a full meal, vegetables and protein, without any input (Visscher 355) The vegetables contain much more vitamins and nutrients as they intake the waste from the fish and use it as fertilizer. The concept of food security is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the following way: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Household food security is the application of this concept to the family level, with individuals within households as the focus of concern.”(Christensen 1) There is a strong linkage between the food children eat at school and the state of their health.
Secondly, there are numerous diseases, many of them preventable, associated with obesity and being overweight. Some diseases include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, osetoarthirisis, atherosclerosis, work disability and sleep apnea (Neumark-Sztainer 929). Meals with fast-food characteristics are the cause of the increasing prevalence of obesity in society today. Foods that are served in large portions with a high energy density, and sugar-rich soft drink contain high dietary fat content and more calories of fat. High intake of trans fats lead to abdominal obesity and weight gain. There are many diseases linked to having an unhealthy lifestyle and being obese. To understand the science of obesity we must understand the metabolic processes that the body undergoes. When there is a lack of exercise, the chemical process of maintaining our body also become less efficient and our body thus becomes less efficient at processing calories. (Neumark-Sztainer 929) Genetics is also linked to obesity as genes are passed down from one generation to another to influence traits. Thus, it is likely that one may be predisposed to being overweight and develop a specific disease. Fat cells produce a hormone, leptin, which control the appetite and functions to tell the brain that the body is full and finished eating. Overweight individuals have higher levels of leptin that the average person and thus the messages sent by the hormone leptin never reach the brain and usually get lost in the process (Stice 660). These factors can lead to fatal diseases like Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, arthritis, cancer, etc. For example, one can develop type 2 diabetes from over eating and indulging and foods with high sugars. Glucose is an type of sugar and when one intakes too much sugar it can trigger insulin resistance (Astrup 40). A diet high in saturated fats and sugar can also lead to heart disease in which the heart is incapable of pumping correctly and the arteries are narrowed. Heart disease is responsible for 40% of deaths in the United States alone and is mostly due to obesity (World Health Organization).
Thus, I propose a solution that elementary schools use aquaponics systems on their property since it would provide fresh organic food such as salads, in place of their frozen, processed food. Students would be able to learn that by eating healthy food they can prevent disease and promote a foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Growing organic food with aquaponics could also help inmates in prisons and patients in mental hospitals help improve their health with both nutritious meals and taking responsibilities to care for plants and fish. This could help cut down the tension and provide inmates and patients a career opportunity after they have been released.
References:
Astrup, A., Dyerberg, J., Selleck, M. and Stender, S. (2008), Nutrition transition and its
relationship to the development of obesity and related chronic diseases. Obesity Reviews, 9: 48–52. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2007.00438.x
Christensen, Jen. "Schools Struggle to Feed Kids Healthy Food - CNN.com." CNN.com –
Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
Reader's Digest. "Can School Lunches Cause Obesity? | Reader's Digest." Health Tips,
Food and Recipes, Funny Jokes and Cartoons, and Sweepstakes | Reader’s Digest. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
"Why School Cafeterias Are Dishing Out Fast Food | Education.com." Education.com
An Education & Child Development Site for Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
Visscher, Seidell “ANNUAL REVIEW OF PUBLIC HEALTH” Volume: 22 Pages:
355-375 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.22.1.355 Published: 2001
Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health (2006, September).
Nutrition and Overweight (19). Healthy People 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2008
Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2005). Can we simultaneously work to toward the prevention of
Obesity and Eating disorders in children and adolescents? International Journal of Eating Disorders, 38(3), 220-227.
Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Perry, C., & Casey, M.A. (1999). Factors influencing
food choices of adolescents: Findings from focus-group discussions with adolescents. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 99(8), 929-934.
aquaponicsinparadise.com
http://aquaponicsinparadise.com/
Beneficial and Effective Microorganisms for a Sustainable Agriculture
http://www.emturkey.com.tr/TR/dosya/1-314/h/54-parrhigabkltcf120on20em.pdf
Live Monitoring of Hawaii Pacific Solar Panels on G Building
http://www.live.deckmonitoring.com/?id=kahuku_high_school
Olomana Gardens in Waimanalo
http://olomanagardens.com
Mari's Gardens
http://www.marisgardens.com/aquaponics/
Green Team flowcharts
https://drive.google.com/#folders/0BxDx8shxWg5aek5SYzQzSFZBQ2M
Bokashi
http://www.emturkey.com.tr/TR/dosya/1-314/h/54-parrhigabkltcf120on20em.pdf
UH's Oahu Urban Garden Center
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ougc/index.asp
Worm Team vs. Worm Leachate
http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/leachate-vs-worm-tea.html
Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
http://fssb.k12.hi.us/images/MS4%20Program%20Overview.pdf
Kokua Hawaii Foundation School Programs
http://kokuahawaiifoundation.org/programs
Aquaponics - Dr. Clyde Tamaru Challenges and Opportunities for Aquaponics
http://www.edline.net/files/_gFLUd_/805de5ce3743e5773745a49013852ec4/Hanai_Tamaru-aquaponic.pdf
Worm Farms
http://www.edline.net/files/_gFLm7_/b0b30ddc8d2b8e123745a49013852ec4/Worm-Farming.pdf
Hawaii Green Schools
http://www.kahukuhigh.org/apps/download/2/OZajapm61kIFsuTwdyNMF5lX9HGoFQlMAUrRSjpX76eBIgqq.pdf/Hawaii_Green_Schools.pdf
DIY Solar Projects
http://www.builditsolar.com/
UH Sustainability
http://www.hawaii.edu/sustainability/
outcomes.pdf
people.pdf
programs.pdf
waste.pdf
1KahukuGreenRibbonSchool.pdf
benefits.pdf
composting.pdf
energy.pdf
food.pdf
funding.pdf
marinedebris.pdf
List of Movies about Sustainability, Food, Recycling, etc.
2014
2013
Awakening the Dreamer: Changing the Dream (Part 1)
Awakening the Dreamer: Changing the Dream (Part 1)
Awakening the Dreamer: Changing the Dream (Part 2)
Awakening the Dreamer: Changing the Dream (Part 2)
2012
Genetic Roulette Trailer
Urban Homesead TV report
2011
2010
2009
2008
Food Beware: The French Organic Revolution
2007
2006
Bad Seed - The Truth About Our Food
2005
2004
2003
Alternative Agriculture: Food for Life
2001
2000
The Natural History of the Chicken
1999
Global Banquet - The Politics of Food
1998
1996
1995
1992
1989
In Grave Danger of Falling Food
1980
Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers
1973
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