High-school students can get college credit for sustainability course

HILO — The Pacific & Asian Affairs Council and the College of Hawaiian Language (Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikolani and ‘Imiloa Center) at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo are collaborating to offer an opportunity for up to 30 Hawai‘i public high-school students to earn college credit for free through an online course focusing on sustainability.

Starting in the 2021 spring semester, this online course will cover eight of the United Nations sustainable development goals as a framework to introduce the challenges to sustainability in the world and how they relate to Hawai‘i.

Students who complete the course will not only earn college credit but also be supported in seeking social-studies credit through their high schools.

“It is a privilege for UH-Hilo’s College of Hawaiian Language and ‘Imiloa to provide content for what promises to be a groundbreaking educational opportunity for local secondary-school students,” said Ka‘iu Kimura, Ka Haku ‘Ula leadership and executive director of ‘Imiloa at UH-Hilo.

”The COVID-19 pandemic is a daily reminder of the challenges and opportunities we share in common with people all across the globe, so this is an exciting juncture at which to think about the fate of our planet and create solutions here in Hawai‘i that we can share with the rest of the world,” she said.

PAAC course instructor Erica Nakanishi-Stanis said, “Students are more aware than ever of how important it is to live sustainably. PAAC offers a suite of programs that put these global challenges in context, and we are thrilled to be able to partner with Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikolani to offer a high-quality, timely curriculum to support students learning in this difficult year. This course will help students contextualize the world they will inherit while also contributing to both their high-school and higher-education goals.”

This course offering is the first time UH-Hilo and the College of Hawaiian Language have offered an Early College opportunity open to all public high-school students across Hawai‘i. The course is offered at no cost to students, thanks to support of the Mamoru & Aiko Takitani Foundation.

Applications are due by midnight Monday, Nov. 16. For more information on eligibility, learning outcomes, course structure and to apply, visit paachawaii.org/SGDC.