What we do
facilitate student-Driven Stream Biodiversity Monitoring and Management
Our community science based stream health initiative focuses on improving the quality of and care for the 3 waters of Pālolo, Mānoa, and Makiki- that flow into the Ala Wai. Paʻēpaʻē o Waikolu partners with dozens of public, private, and charter 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.
Click here to learn more about our method and impact (Background Page)
Our School Partnerships include
four sequential lessons designed to align with NGSS and HĀ framework. Co-taught by our program staff and the regular classroom teacher, these lessons provide a place-based, hands-on application of science content, concepts, and skills that more deeply engages students in the learning.
Lesson 1: Interactive stream health and stream animal content lecture with Mr. Cory
Lesson 2: Field safety and skills training with Ms. Andi
Lesson 3: Field experience at one of twenty study sites across Pālolo, Mānoa, and Makiki streams. Stream survey facilitated by Cory and Andi and other course aligned field activities facilitated by classroom teachers
Lesson 4: Data exploration lessons facilitated by the classroom teacher supports students to inquire about, analyze, and interpret the fish population data they collected, and use that data to advocate for change.
(click here to access lesson plans and other place-based learning resources)
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
Who We Are…
Our program started as a collaborative effort between the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa - Center for Conservation Research and Training (UH-CCRT) and ‘Iolani Schoolʻs Office of Community Science. By pairing working scientists with trained[educators], PW forms a bridge between the
Our Core team
Undergraduate
Field Assistants
To date we have welcomed 12 UH Mānoa- Natural Resource Management volunteers and part time staffers into the field with us. The presence of these early career professionals ensures we can maintain high standards of safety & quality student learning no matter the group size. It means so much to us to have these dedicated staffers standing as shining examples of college and career pathways in resource management for our younger students. We also hope that they see the richness of working in collaboration with young students and gain experience in crafting investigations that see community and students as an integral partner in the study.
K-12 Students and teachers across Oʻahu
Click here to see our full partner network
PSA From the desk of Uncle Cory
Our stream health problems are BIG and complex, and can make our communities feel overwhelmed or incapable of finding ways that they can contribute to improvements. One of the biggest lessons Uncle Cory teaches students is that aquarium fish do not belong in Hawai‘i’s streams. It is EASY to NOT release imported animals into the wild. Learn what not to do from “mini Uncle Cory” in the video above!
Mahalo NUI
With special thanks to the Maurice and Joanna Sullivan Family Foundation, ABC stores, EE Ford Foundation, Kokame Family, 'Iolani School, Hawai‘i Fish Habitat Partnership, the NFWF Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program, and NOAA B-WET for supporting this work.
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