the garden island PUHI — These are some productive middle-schoolers. The work of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School students earned them a big grant. $10,000 to be exact. Warren Haruki, chief executive of Grove Farm, stopped into the school’s video program
the garden island
PUHI — These are some productive middle-schoolers.
The work of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School students earned them a big grant. $10,000 to be exact.
Warren Haruki, chief executive of Grove Farm, stopped into the school’s video program Friday to present a $10,000 grant for “Focus on the Environment,” a film the class is making.
“Haruki is very concerned about the environment,” Marissa Sanblom of Grove Farm said. “Eventually, the aim is to get the DVD the CKMS students are working on to students in the fourth through eighth grades.”
The production demonstrates the need to take care of the environment and the need for good stewardship.
“Additionally, since the group’s initial trip to the national video competition, they’ve come back with awards for the school on behalf of the island,” Sanblom said. “Part of the grant will help them with this year’s trip.”
Instructor Kevin Matsunaga said the project was born after Sanblom contacted him about the possibility of having students create a pro-environmental awareness documentary that would be presented to other schools.
Since that initial call, Matsunaga said the class has been visited by several guests from the community, and in brain-storming with the students, realized they would create a movie-type production that talks about the creation of Hawai‘i.
“At first we were going to break the production into eight chapters, but it was kind of awkward to transition,” Matsunaga said. “After listening to some of the speakers, the students agreed they would talk about Hawai‘i’s history starting with the arrival of the islands’ first plants and animals via the ocean currents and the wind.”
From there, Matsunaga said, the production would touch upon the introduction of more species when the Polynesians first arrived and what they brought with them.
“It’s a natural progression from there,” Matsunaga said. “The students are already excited about talking about the various endangered species and the impact of invasive species on the environment.”
Matsunaga said the students are already scheduled to visit with David Boynton in Koke‘e to do work on the restoration of native plants.
“They also visited the Kaua‘i Humane Society, where they toured the rehabilitation facility for downed seabirds,” Matsunaga said.
The student film teams were also recently on hand for the massive replanting effort by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts at Kilohana Crater.
That project was coordinated and hosted by Grove Farm as a means of replacing some overgrown invasive plants with native plants that once grew there.
Sanblom said they are considering doing a special program once the DVD project is completed to celebrate the accomplishments of the student videographers who recently wrapped up a 30-second advertisement for Deja Vu’s 2007 marketing campaign.
The CKMS video program is an honors elective class where students have to apply for the 16 slots available.
Matsunaga said there are more than 50 students on the waiting list, who have to get a teacher’s recommendation and go through an interview process before being selected.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
