KAPA‘A — Students in teacher Kristin Umakoshi’s class at Kapa‘a Middle School spearheaded a project-based learning lesson that resulted in 960 pounds of food being turned over to the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i Thursday ahead of the school’s winter break.
“This was entirely student-based,” Umakoshi said.
“We presented them some options for service projects, but the final decision and voting was entirely done by the students.”
Among the choices, the students settled on doing the food drive to benefit the foodbank.
But it did not end there.
“I wanted them to do a food drive,” Umakoshi said.
“I attended Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School and used to participate in the food drives done by the Leadership Class. I wanted the students to learn about food and what happens to the food brought in during the drives.”
The students had to plan how the drive was going to take place and how the delivery was going to take place.
“This was the hardest thing for the students,” Umakoshi said.
“Some of them had to stand in front of the class and present the proposal to Principal Julia Sanderl. They had to go over everything using the slides and get the principal’s approval before going ahead.”
In a short span of collecting, the school produced 960 pounds of nonperishable food that was picked up by the foodbank Thursday afternoon.
“I wanted to say ‘mahalo’ to you, the school, and all those wonderful students who helped collect 960 pounds of food for your food drive,” read a note sent to Umakoshi from the foodbank.
“This will be a tremendous help in the fight against hunger and will make a huge difference for our Kaua‘i community.”
Umakoshi said she wants more students to learn more about food that goes out to help those facing food-insecurity.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
