For more information, visit parkerschool.net.
SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY
Parker Middle School students came together for a day of environmental education on Feb. 3. This was the second of three planned Middle School Unity Days for the 2011-12 school year. The first was Ocean Unity Day in November, when students studied ocean health, currents and tides, coastal plant species and the Hawaiian history of the Kohala Coast.
The unity days are designed to perpetuate unity and cohesiveness among sixth, seventh and eighth grade students via off-campus, hands-on, multidisciplinary, experiential learning opportunities that take advantage of the resources the Big Island offers.
Prior to the Feb. 3 excursion, a series of environmental and energy alternatives experts visited Parker School to speak to the middle school students: Stephen and Katherine Groves of Skyquest Energy spoke about the new solar panels they installed at Parker School and how they work; Parker’s Garden Project Coordinator ,Jared David-Chapman, talked about sustainability and the school garden; Angela Kang, Hawaii County recycling specialist, visited to discuss sustainable living; and environmental consultant Carolyn Stewart presented a water erosion simulation.
The first stop on the excursion day was the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, where several businesses exploring sustainable industries are hubbed. Executive Director of Friends of NELHA Guy Toyama gave the students a tour of the Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building beneath hundreds of solar panels.
Toyama said, “Hawaii’s vulnerability is our greatest asset as it forces us to shift our minds and be innovative and self-reliant. I was so impressed by the Parker School students and how they were not just interested in taking leadership, but obviously excited about tackling Hawaii’s challenges. I saw many of Hawaii’s future leaders, with bright eyed enthusiasm.”
Next, the students moved on to a vineyard at NELHA, where Rich Bailey of Dew Point Systems explained how wine grapes are grown using condensation from cold, deep sea water. Many were fascinated to hear this method yields three grape crops per year. Then, at Keahole Solar Power, Dean Towle spoke about the sun’s pattern in the sky and how solar panels concentrate the sun’s solar power to create heat to make electricity.
Following a picnic lunch by the beach at NELHA, the Parker School group ventured to the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kona. Recycling Specialist Kang again met with the students here and gave them a tour of this almost 100 percent zero waste facility, and taught them about the center’s zero waste policies.
The last Parker Middle School Unity Day of the year is scheduled for April.
For more information, visit parkerschool.net.