PROGRAMS & EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Service Learning and Grant Writing Workshop for Teachers Saturday, August 14th, 8:30 to 3:30 |
- Do you have a great service idea and need money (up to $750) to carry it out?
- Do you want to know how to link service to the curriculum?
- Do you and your students want to learn more about the grant-writing process?
This workshop is for you!
> Learn about important needs in our community
> Develop a plan that addresses these needs through service learning
> Apply for a mini grant of up to $750
> Get feedback from other teachers and review board members.
> Lead the way to a better community
> Have Fun!
Eligibility: Public and Private School Teachers for grades 1-12 are invited to attend and bring up to two student leaders to help plan and discuss.
Fee: Fee of $50 per school to attend. Scholarships are available. Email us at admin@youthservicehawaii.org for more information.
To Apply: Apply online through this link download the hard copy application [MS Word].
Location: Conference Room, 475 22nd Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Questions? Contact Youth Service Hawaii @ admin@youthservicehawaii.org
Funded by: Youth Service Hawaii, Starbucks Foundation in cooperation
with the Department of Education
Stewards for a Sustainable Hawai'i (SFASH)
Summer Teacher Institute
Youth Service Hawai'i and the Hawai'i Department of Education are partnering to deliver SFASH, a sustained professional development program to train 40 fifth grade teachers and interns to teach science. The purpose of this project is to develop environmental stewards and science proficient teachers and students, who as informed decision makers will make choices that positively impact the terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems and ahupua'a of Hawai'i. It will integrate critical thinking and inquiry skills while using a science and ahupua'a (watershed)-based curriculum and a service learning teaching and learning methodology. Field experts will guide the teachers to apply science concepts where monitoring techniques will be taught and used to assess the condition of habitats followed by restoration activities.
Who: Forty (40) Qualified 5th grade teachers from the Farrington, Kaiser and Kalani Complex & Kamehameha and independent private schools in the targeted ahupua'a.
Application period: Now
Institute Dates: October 5, 6, 7 & 16, November 11, 12, 13 & 20, 2010, and April 16, 2011
Curriculum: Service learning, critical thinking and inquiry skills development, Aloha AinaÕs Stream Life curriculum training, on-the-ground restoration training.
Teacher Benefits: Professional development, stipend, substitute fees, transportation, materials and equipment.
TO APPLY download an application here [MS Word] and email or mail to the addresses on the form OR register online through this link
Questions? Contact Merle Okino O'Neill at admin@youthservicehawaii.org
YOUTH SERVICE HAWAII PROGRAMS
TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Each year, Youth Service Hawaii focuses on training related to a key aspect of service learning, such as Literacy and Civic Engagement. YSH has worked in collaboration with the Department of Education to offer workshops given by Cathryn Berger Kaye, a nationally recognized expert on service learning, in the following areas.
Literacy Through Civic Engagement
This workshop gives teachers the tools needed to implement a literacy curriculum in the classroom including:
- a literacy curriculum that engages students in civic responsibility
- how to develop student mentoring programs to improve literacy in the school community
- the basics of service learning linked to books that inspire students to learn
- Literature Circles (which will also be practiced in small groups)
- A copy of The Complete Guide to Service Learning, a resource to help develop specific learning curriculum
Strategies for Success with Literacy
Learn about an innovative curriculum designed to engage students for academic excellence. Acquire tools that will motivate your students to:- become more academically and civically engaged
- acquire traits associated with positive character
- develop civic knowledge and skills
- increase their literacy skills, particularly in the areas of vocabulary, higher order thinking skills, and literal and inferential comprehension
Educating the Head, Hand & Heart through Service-Learning: Introduction to Service Learning
for k-12 Teachers
Workshops to learn about service learning and how to engage students in civic responsibility and social action through their academic curriculum. Each teacher leave with concrete plans to implement service learning in their classroom and receives a copy of The Complete Guide to Service Learning by Cathy Berger Kaye.
STATEWIDE LEARNING CONFERENCE
This annual conference brings together teachers and students involved in Service Learning to share their experiences and to learn more about Service Learning. Keynote speakers and presenters from across the state give examples for others to learn from. Students play a key role both in presenting and attending each conference. The conference is held in the Spring each year.
SERVICE LEARNING SUMMER INSTITUTE
A two-day Service-Learning Summer Institute, giving teachers the information and inspiration to take action for their school and community in advancing service learning. The purpose of the Summer Institute is to support teachers and students in developing a service-learning curriculum that addresses specific topics of focus.
TEACHERS MENTORING TEACHERS
This teacher support group meets bi-monthly during the year to share ideas on service learning. The purpose of the group is for teachers to mentor one another, becoming resources to each other in planning and problem solving. By supporting each other, the group hopes to increase the number of teachers and students that know about and become involved in service learning. The group also helps develops service learning leadership among teachers. We welcome both service learning experts and novices to join.
To join the teacher's group or for more information on any of the programs or events listed, contact us at admin@youthservicehawaii.org.
YOUTH PHILANTHROPY WORKSHOP & MINI GRANT PROGRAM
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Mahatma Ghandi
Students learn about some of our communities' most critical needs and then take action with others by developing projects/grant proposals that will help solve these problems. Students attend a workshop during which they hear from a variety of non profit organizations, community activists and others working with social issues facing our community. They then devise a plan/project to that addresses at least one of the issues. Students present their ideas to community partners at the workshop. The Youth Philanthrophy Board makes grants of up to $500 per proposal for projects.
Students in grades 8-12 are eligible to apply (school groups of five students and one teacher will be given preference in their application). For more information, download the flyer [PDF] from the 2008 workshop or contact us.
"Be the Change" Grant Awardees
Despite these hard economic times, kids and their teachers were still able to work together to put their knowledge and experience to the test by solving community problems. With help from the Youth Philanthropy Board and our generous sponsor, starbucks, projects proposed by both kids and teachers were able to be funded.
August Ahrens Elementary
Students at August Ahrens increased students’ and community’s
knowledge and awareness of hydroponics and environmental stewardship.
Through student led tours, the entire student body at August Ahrens
Elementary School has an opportunity to see a working hydroponics
system and learn the value of alternative methods of preserving our
land and natural resources. Students were able to reach a portion of
the community through participation and demonstrations at the school
science fair. Funding helped students and teachers purchase the
hydroponic equipment and supplies need to maintain the hydroponic
system.
Olomana School
Olomana School, proposed a project called “Cleaning and Planting four
our Keiki” The young women students in this school get to meet with
their children and play at a playground near their facility. They
proposed helping to paint and clean up the graffiti and planting
native Hawaiian plants to add beauty to the play area. The students
had multiple goals in mind with this project: 1) To change the public
perception of Olomana School and get everyone working together as a
team; 2) Create a school-wide integrated project; 3) Develop real-life
skills that they can demonstrate and use in the future; and 4) Involve
the Olomana Ohana (family, friends, and community) in a project they
can participate in together. The funds were used for bus
transportation and for cleaning supplies.
Punahou School
LEAF stands for Leaving Earth A Future and is a student driven project
whose purpose is to encourage and promote sustainable practices within
the business and nonprofit communities. We are initially focusing on
the restaurant sector. Restaurants may join if they commit to at least
three sustainable practices. In return, we promote the businesses
through LEAF's website and other media. These restaurants are provided
an attractive window sticker to display to show their commitment.
Students at Punahou School recognized that the environment continues
to be impacted by our careless “throw away” mentality that uses
resources without concern for its effect. LEAF is using positive
publicity to promote sustainable practices in restaurants, to have an
immediate impact on both the waste problems and on educating and
inspiring large numbers of people.
LEAF assists this cause by researching costs of biocompostable
products and recycling services and sharing this information with
restaurants.
Grant funding was spent on postage, stationary, and envelopes in order
to send out invitations to join and keep in touch with our LEAF
restaurant members. Funds were also be spent on the LEAF window
sticker, which displays that restaurants are LEAF certified and a LEAF
banner for use at presentations and conferences. To get even more
publicity, students presented at the Hawaii Chapter US Green Building
Council's annual meeting on Feb. 25th.
Kahalu`u Elementary
Kahaluu Elem School has students in upper grades teaching young
students in a science service-learning project that seeks to provide
hands-on hydroponics science activities to younger students. Older and
younger students will be growing edible plants while learning about
sustainable food production. The intent of this project is to: 1)
Help to fill a community need since many of the families of children
have been directly impacted by the current economic downturn and are
experiencing diminished disposable income for food, 2). Strengthen our
students' awareness of good nutrition and encourage healthy eating
habits since many of our students and 3). Student involvement in the
development of the project will include identifying community
need/problem and solution, goal setting and schedule making,
determining crops to be grown and best location available for farming,
and identifying group(s) to receive produce. Student involvement in
the implementation of the project will include promotion of the
project , building of the hydroponics system; seeding and
transplanting the crops; tending the plants and monitoring pH and
nutrient levels; harvesting, packaging, and distribution of the
produce; fund raising to sustain the project. The focus is to be
community contributors to the needy and assure sustainability. The
grant funds were spent to implement the hydroponic system in an area
accessable to younger students and the community.
University Laboratory
University Lab School A’o Mai Ka ‘Aina Mai (To Learn from the Land)
project, focuses on building awareness and appreciation of our land
and ocean – starting at Ka Iwi State Park. Their large community work
weekend involved 100+ children and adults, with another 20+ for every
community work day . The big event was January 16 – 18, 2010 and they
organized several projects during those three days. However, the
impact that this will have on other children and adults is much larger
– once cleaned up and restored, and with educational materials
available, this area will serve many interested schools and youth
groups. This A’o Mai Ka ‘Aina Mai project helps address the needs of
the State Park, such as being cleared of illegal camping and bonfire
rubbish that is harmful to beach-goers, hikers, and native plants and
animals. But it will also raise awareness in general – we, the people
who enjoy and use the natural resources of Hawai’i, must learn and
teach others to be aware of our impact on this ‘aina and what we can
do to help out. The Ka Iwi State Park area is also rich in cultural
and geological history that is not well documented and circulated;
this information could be used to help supplement classroom education
and environmental outreach. This project is related to science and
social studies lessons across various grade levels, and to courses in
environmental education and service learning. This project is also
based on the goals of our service-learning class and program, Project
Pono; one of the purposes of Project Pono is for students to learn for
themselves about environmental
We met with and visited on-site with the Department of Land and
Natural Resources (DLNR ) Caretaker for the Ka Iwi State Park, and
worked with the DLNR State Parks Superintendent in planning stages of
our project. We will continue to meet and plan with DLNR.
University Lab School’s second grant was for the 1st Annual Recycle-A-Thon. The students in the Service Learning class were
concerned about our local and global environments and as responsible
citizens, they wanted to make a difference. By organizing an event
that the community can participate in, they have immediate impact and
their actions help future generations enjoy a clean, pristine place to
live. The event planned had a “green practices” open house to help
attendees learning about ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. They
invited organizations that specialize in environmental solutions who
gave demonstrations on light bulbs, worm bins, and may other
sustainable practices. Attendees could also drop off many items to
recycle – from computers to clothing to cans and bottles. The students
helped people unload their recyclables and then invited them to come
to the open house to learn more. There was a game room for kids using
recycled materials to make art projects.
Students built partnerships with many different agencies in organizing
the event and gained the support or six different organizations who
helped them with the event. They used the grant money to pay for the
rent of tents, flyers, posters and recycling bins. The cans and
bottles will be recycled to help pay for future recycle-a-thons. They
aim is to make this event self sustaining.
Honowaii Elementary
At Honowai Elementary, teachers and students interested in Math are
building meaningful relationships with parents around learning math
concepts. Everyone involved believe that students are the priority and
that Math is important for all students to master! Often parents
cannot help their children because math concepts have changed over
time and some parents have not had schooling to learn math skills to
begin with. Students in the Math club meet in the cafeteria every
morning from 7:00-7:45. Math Club students help other students to
learn a math concept with a quick five minute mini-lesson and encouragment with manipulatives to facilitate their learning. We
currently have 8 student leaders who serve as mentors to both students
and parents during our workshops. To build capacity, they include
1-2nd grader, 1-3rd grader, 2-4th graders, and 4-6th graders. Their
duties include working in small groups with younger students and
working with a small group of parents in our parent math club. Parents
are invited to join their children during this time. There is also a
parent math club that meets every other Wednesday morning from
7:50-8:50 in the cafeteria. Sessions center around developing
activities that parents can do at home with their children. Advanced
6th graders help parents in the parent Math Club. Our math clubs have
three main goals. First and foremost, we want to help our families
feel confident about math. Next, we strive to make math a part of our
everyday lives. Finally, we want math to be “fun.” Grant money was
used to purchase manipulatives (i.e. polydrons) for the workshops.
Manipulatives enable our students and parents to make personal
connections. They often link visual, auditory and tactile learning.
Kamaile Academy
Students in 7th and 8th grade from Kamaile Academy took action to
protect the plants and animals endangered in the Wai`anae community -
in particular the Opaiula (red shrimp). They are working to protect
those living things in their own area. Students researched with
experts in the community to find out which living things are in most
need of our help who is already working to protect them. They used the
grant for supplies and materials to breed an endemic species of shrimp
at their school. They have placed four tanks around the school that
will hopefully serve as educational tools for years to come. They will
also have t-shirts and posters to publicize the project. The group has
also begun frequent hikes with community leaders at their school. They
have explored the local coastline and learned about the great wealth
of natural and cultural resources in their area. Students are learning
secrets about sites, plants, and animals that are quickly dying out in
the community. They are bringing this knowledge back to students at
their school and in gardens around the school campus. Grant money has
helped greatly with supplies for this hiking and planting activity.
A second project at Kamaile Academy received a grant to address
teenage pregnancy. These middle school girls recognized that many of
their friends are sexually active and they know many girls who are
pregnant or have a child. They saw the need to educate young people
and prevent teenage pregnancy. The students thought the most
effective way to convince these students is by showing a video which
they created. They have created the video, which features discussions
with mothers and fathers who experienced pregnancy as teenagers. They
included the opinions of other parents, youth, and community elders on
the issue of teenage pregnancy. This video has been shown to classes
at Kamaile school and they are working with other schools along the
Wai`anae Coast so the film can be shown at other schools. Online
surveys were used to track the impact they were having on film
viewers. The grant money was used for the materials needed to host the
volunteers and in information distributed at the events. They worked
with student in charge of similar programs at Wai`anae High School and
community members at Wai`anae Comprehensive Health Center. For
advertising, they made t-shirts for the group presenters, bought
supplies for making posters, and printing/copying flyers, surveys, and
informational pamphlets. Funding was also used for transportation for
traveling to other schools on the Leeward Coast. To show thanks to
those experienced mothers who helped group, they gave gift cards from
stores like Long’s or Wal-Mart.
Waipahu High School
Students from Waipahu High School request a grant for a second year to
help them with a Waipahu Health and Community Empowerment Fair. The
community need to be addressed is the persistent problems that
lower-income members of our community face in accessing critical
social services in the economic, legal, education, and health care
spheres. In the second year the fair not only offered medical
awareness and health testing, but “stepped it up” by also providing
services and information related to legal aid, education, and economic
development. Students in the Health Careers classes helped arrange in
the recruitment of vendors for the health fair and health fair
information is integrated into the career academy curriculum; students
research a health issues of interest to them and attempt to recruit
vendors who address that issue. The Fair was attended by at least 250
people from nearby low income neighborhoods. The participants can
utilize the information given to them to improve the health,
lifestyles, and well being of their families and friends. For example,
they provided voluntary screening for HIV and high blood pressure,
free legal advice from the Legal Aid Society, free information on how
to obtain scholarships for higher education, and free information on
how to start their own businesses with the help of the Economic
Development Center of PACT. The funds provided by this grant were used
to pay for the department of health permit, healthy vegetarian food,
the legally required porta potty, printing and copying services (for
the flyers, programs, surveys, and thank you notes), and the weather
proof community poster.
Hakipu`u Learning Center
Students and teachers at Hakipu’u Learning Center – a charter school
with a focus on Native Hawaiian traditions – developed an
environmental and cultural stewardship project called “Save the Iwi
(Bones).” They knew they needed educate others including fellow
students, faculty, parents, siblings and the concerned citizens of our
community, on the effects of global warming on our coastlines, and
also on our cultural beliefs and practices. Culturally it is important
that we protect the iwi (bones) of our ancestors because exposing iwi
to sunlight is one of the highest forms of desecration in the Hawaiian
culture. For this reason it is crucial that we do our civic duty to
address global warming, preserve the coastline at Kualoa, and honor
our ancestors and cultural beliefs. They are organizing the whole
school and school families to come to events that are work days, to
creative protective burms on the beach. They are using the grant to
purchase supplies, more specifically coconut fiber sandbags to protect
a specific area at the Kualoa Beach Park from further erosion and loss
of sand to prevent the continued exposure of iwi (bones) of ancestors.
James Campbell High
Campbell High School students work twice a month on literacy, both
print and visual, with Onemalu’s preschool children. In developing
this project, students researched both literacy and homelessness and
the skills needed to encourage literacy development. They learned that
homelessness usually means those children are not exposed to the
literacy skills needed for reading success. They learned about the
dialogic reading process that can raise reading scores one level
within 30 days. They incorporated these skills which foster reading,
linguistic and social development into the activities they organized
with the preschool children. They also organized an art project that
directly relates to the story as an aid for the child to retell the
story to his/her family. They are finding outcomes of improved
literacy interest and skills with the preschool children. The high
school students are learning to plan service projects. By studying and
having hands on experiences, the students learn effective ways to
combat literacy and the young homeless preschoolers improve their
reading readiness.
They used the grant to buy basic art supplies and healthy snacks for
the children participating in the program.