HANAMA‘ULU — Participants who took part in the second workshop for a proposed discovery center were able to get their hands dirty. The value of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary discovery center
HANAMA‘ULU — Participants who took part in the second workshop for a proposed discovery center were able to get their hands dirty.
The value of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary discovery center on Kaua‘i is education, said Jean Souza, the Kaua‘i coordinator for the sanctuary.
“The value to education was a constant theme that came out of the participants, starting with Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and William Arakaki, the Kaua‘i Complex Area superintendent,” Souza said. “We now know the role the discovery center will fit in the community.”
The workshop last week was part of the sanctuary’s efforts to engage the public in its conceptual planning process.
Souza said after talking with Arakaki, he felt the proposed facility can help provide some of the science activities and in-field experiences that schools are finding difficult to do due to budget reductions and curriculum adjustments.
More than 500 comments were received from the community in November and December, Souza said. These comments have been documented in a draft workbook.
During the second workshop, participants were provided an opportunity to experience the types of experiments visitors to the proposed center would be engaged in. Some of the participants were returnees from the first workshop held in late 2010.
Participants were grouped into “planning teams” to explore mission statements, goals, activities and locations.
These breakout sessions were punctuated with the educational demonstrations, some of which are currently being conducted during the Science at the Beach events.
Souza said anyone wanting to receive updates on the proposed facility, as well as notices of upcoming gatherings, can e-mail her at Jean.Souza@noaa.gov or call 246-2860.
