December 2024
Two decades of environmental education were celebrated by more than 90 community members during the 20th anniversary of NOAA’s Hawaiʻi Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program. Participants included representatives from more than 45 community organizations, schools, universities, private entities, and federal and state governments.
Throughout the three-day event, participants were immersed in several educational sessions focused on Indigenous Knowledge, community engagement, environmental education, ecosystem resilience, and current trends in ocean science, which led to opportunities for collaboration as part of the B-WET program. Participants also engaged in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) and explored outdoor classrooms across Oʻahu.
Engaging Students in Place-Based Environmental Education
Hawaiʻi B-WET is a competitive grant program that provides funding for locally relevant, place-based environmental education projects for K-12 audiences. The program provides students and teachers with biocultural perspectives that weave in traditional knowledge systems, values, and practices with western science tools. Ahupuaʻa (traditional land divisions) across the Hawaiian Islands provide local resources to engage students and teachers in community stewardship initiatives. Over the past 20 years, Hawaiʻi B-WET has awarded 163 grants, totaling more than $16.5 million, serving communities from all the Hawaiian islands, including programming in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
“Having environmental education programs like Hawaiʻi B-WET in the community has really made a difference for students, teachers, program coordinators, and the local watersheds,” said Māhealani Bambico, Hawaiʻi B-WET Coordinator. “This legacy of future stewards and leaders was highlighted during the celebration when student alumni shared their stories about participating in Hawaiʻi B-WET, reflecting back on the past 20 years of this program with the participants. We’re enthusiastic about how the program will continue to influence others in the future.”
Expressing Appreciation and Planning for the Future
Event participants demonstrated gratitude for the Hawaiʻi B-WET program and appreciation for the opportunity to spend time together to build relationships. Some had not seen each other in over 10 years, while others were meeting for the first time. Inspiration was a common theme as participants heard from the keynote speaker, learned about each other’s projects, interacted with the youth panel, and engaged in site visits.
During the youth panel, Mālama Honua Public Charter School student Palikū Dudoit (middle schooler) was asked about how adults can support him through his environmental stewardship journey. His response was, “Give me all of your ʻike (knowledge), cause down the road, this is really going to help me in my life.”
The excitement, passion, and energy from the group seemed to grow every day.
As the Hawaiʻi B-WET program plans for the future to help continue serving students like Palikū, the event included opportunities to visualize what the program could look like moving forward. This event was the very first of its kind for the Hawaiʻi B-WET program. The plan is to meet more consistently to increase the relationships among organizations, as well as participants, encourage more collaboration across the islands, and share innovative ideas to inspire the students. Overall, the main goals are to perpetuate the education for future environmental stewards and nurture the next generation of community leaders.
“B-WET supports a vision of the future where societies and ecosystems are healthy and resilient in the face of sudden or prolonged change,” said Seaberry Nachbar, California B-WET coordinator from NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. “It helps develop well-informed members of society who are involved in decision-making that positively impacts our coastal, marine, and watershed ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands.”