MEDIA RELEASE
Online registration is now available for a weeklong series of educational events for school garden educators, teachers, and others passionate about improving student wellness, cognitive development, and engaging deeper learning.
Taking place June 7–12 in Waimea, the four professional development events focus on the effectiveness of school gardens as an instructional strategy for both nutritional education and hands-on learning in core subject areas.
The events include:
* The Seventh Annual School Learning Garden Symposium: “Awakening the Senses for Deeper Learningâ€
* AINA In Schools Garden & Nutrition Curriculum Training
* Ku Aina Pa Summer Intensive: “Growing the Connections: Common Core and STEM in the School Gardenâ€
* Waimea School Garden Tours with Dr. Ming Wei Koh
Details and registration information for all events are posted at http://schoolgardens14.eventbrite.com
The school learning garden symposium, presented by the Hawaii Island School Garden Network, is 8:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. June 7 at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy GPAC Auditorium (Upper Campus).
The full day of educational workshops, presentations, and speakers will guide educators to integrate essential educational curriculum into school learning garden settings.
Keynote speaker Dr. Carla Hannaford, an award-winning author, biologist, and educator, will offer insights into the importance of engaging more than just students’ minds but their hands and hearts as well.
A panel of Hawaii health and education leaders will address student wellness and connections with deeper learning.
Register by May 15 and save $10. A limited number of scholarships are available to Hawaii Island educators to cover registration, and Kokua Hawaii Foundation is offering scholarships for outer-island registrants to help cover transportation-related expenses.
The AINA In Schools Garden & Nutrition Curriculum Training will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 8 at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Student Union (Upper Campus).
Presented by Kokua Hawaii Foundation, this special training for educators planning to use AINA In Schools lessons with their students will cover the program’s standards-based garden and nutrition education units.
The workshop will also include a brief overview of the program’s composting curriculum and a review of Kokua Hawaii Foundation’s helpful resources for educators.
Learn more about the AINA In Schools program at www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org/aina
The Ku Aina Pa Summer Intensive will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 9–11 at Malaai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School.
This three-day workshop for K-8 classroom teachers will deepen their basic garden skills and curriculum development with presentations, hands-on work in the Malaai Culinary Garden, and learning to use Lifelab’s “The Growing Classroom†and database. Common Core standards are connected to every lesson. Afternoons include teamwork by grade level, connecting STEM projects to the morning’s lessons and themes.
Dr. Ming Wei Koh leads a tour of school learning gardens in Waimea including Kanu O Ka Aina, Waimea Country School, and Hawaii Preparatory Academy–Ulumau from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on June 12.
These events are sponsored by The Kohala Center, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii Preparatory Academy, and Malaai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School.