February 2019 Newsletter
Inside
Education Incubator
*special thanks to the KS team who came to visit this month and captured some photos of our team at work!
In the
Community…
Kinai ʻEha
UH community experts Kai Fox and Jensen Uyeda spent some time with our Kinai ʻEha haumana in their exploration of the mechanics and construction of hydroponics and aquaponics growing systems. The group went on huakaʻi to Koʻolau Farmers to learn about and select plants they want to grow in their pilot system. So far, they have planted from seed and repotted from the plants purchased at Koʻolau Farmers. We’re happy to see growth every week as monitor the plants and fish in the systems.
Students and teachers of Hālau Kū Mana visited Mokauea, a small 10-acre tidal island situated in Ke’ehi Lagoon, less than half a mile from downtown Honolulu. After paddling from nearby Mauli Ola (Sand Island), we were guided by representatives of the Mokauea Fishermen’s Association and learned about the history, place names and biological diversity of this wahi pana (sacred and storied place).
In 1830 Mokauea was declared a protected royal fishing ground by King Kamehameha III, and was home to fishing families connected to the island through their geneology. During World War II, many of those ancestral families who lived on Mokauea were evicted; in the decades that followed, some returned. In 1975, another attempt was made to evict those families that had returned the island related to urbanization and expansion of the airport. The families, with the support of the Mokauea Fisherman’s Association, fought for and won a lease for the island that is good for another 25 years.
The full moon provided an extremely shallow low tide allowing the students to experience and explore the diverse and interactive tidal island reef ecosystem. They picked up teddy bear crabs and sea hares bare-handed; observed puhi (eel) emerging from puka (cave opening or hole); marveled at a mantis, the world’s deadliest shrimp. By the end of the reef walk, the students were amazed at how much awesome life they actually observed.
As the students prepared to leave, their disappoint in this epic day coming to and was apparent and audible. When asked if they would like to return to Mokauea, and make caring for it a regular part of their curriculum, the answer was a resounding yes, from both students and teachers.
EI hosted our first Ignite follow-up event – Sharing and the Local Economy: A Talk Story Event, co-hosted by and featuring Kokua Market and HI Soup, as well as Biki, Friends with Farms, and HNL Tool Library. The evening focused on understanding the principles and current efforts to create a sharing economy here in Hawaiʻi, and o ways we can begin to develop our fluency and wealth in more than financial capital. The group spent some time discussing the 8 Forms of Capital framework from Regenerative Enterprise by Appleseed Permaculture.
Some gems shared by our 3 conveners were:
- “Mana first and money follows” – Miki, EI
- “Think of ʻweʻ over ʻmeʻ” -Doorae, Kokua Market
- “Instead of capital, how do we shift to think and focus to our wealth” – Sam, HI Soup
We posed the whiteboard wonder: “How might we shift to a sharing economy?” Here’s what attendees had to say:
- Eliminate resource redundancy – share what you donʻt have use for!
- Create more creative spaces for cooperation
- Lower barriers to securing $ capital
- Shift our language to reflect our values
- Make a conscious effort to borrow before you buy! (Bb4B)
- Remember ʻwe > meʻ
Here are some immediate action items:
- Purchase a share of the Kōkua Market
- Listen to the Permaculture Podcast
- Like and follow HI SOUP
- Sign up for BIKI, download the app
- Become a member of the HNL Tool Library
- Watch Story of stuff
Our next Sharing Economy-inspired event is scheduled for March 7 at Hālau ʻĪnana – join us as we explore ways to bring to life the ideas shared such as a podcast, book club, ShareFest, and other community engagement and abundance-growing opportunities. Join in on the event planning teams now!
PD is Only
a Click Away
Professional (and Personal!) development is not limited to what you find at conferences and in courses – check out this sampling we’ve gathered this past month. If you have some to share, we would love to hear from you – email your suggestions to [email protected]
Slack
Our slack story started with a bit of confusion and reluctance. When the people you work with are also some of your close friends, the division between work and play becomes quite unclear – we communicate with each other all the time, some about work, some about personal, some just for fun, and it ends up being a ridiculously long text string. Now imagine being one person in a group text that has been going on for the 12 hours you have been offline, and you are suddenly drinking from a fire hydrant and not a fountain.????
Since the beginning of our “now we are a company and have to try to streamline our communications and actions”, we have become a bit more efficient. We now use channels to streamline our work. We now slack everything…from general announcements to our team, to the details of each of the contract work that we have, to initiating notifications for Airtable (showcased in our November Newsletter), it is all on Slack. This helps us be organized in our conversations and updates and we rely on it heavily when it comes to our workflow. Try it out!
POWERFUL PROTOTYPING
Marvel
As our students move through user journeys and rapid prototyping, they are exploring different programs and platforms that can help them in their process. Last year, we were using Google Slides for quick digital prototyping for apps. Our students quickly evolved beyond us and found Marvel app, an all-in-one collaborative design platform that brings your digital products to life.
You can go from sketch to prototype right in your web browser. Marvel also syncs with many other commonly used design programs, like Sketch and Photoshop, and has millions of pre-formed assets and templates ready to be unleashed. One really helpful product offered by Marvel is UserFlows, a sitemap tool which allows designers to create digital user journeys for their prototypes.
PODCASTS TO PONDER
MindShift
At EI, we understand that learning is so much more than grades and test scores. We value the other side of learning: emotional safety, trust, mutual respect, and meaningful relationships. Mindshift explores the future of education, discussing issues and innovations that are changing how children learn. This season, the podcast looks at those things that we hold dear: the intangible, and often overlooked, elements of success. Mindshift offers brain food for individuals from all walks of learning and life, who want to engage in powerful dialogue about innovative ideas offering stories of hope, support and growth.
EI Book
Nook
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA?
A national bestseller, our COO and Lead Instructor Hye Jung found this book on display at Barnes and Noble a few months ago. She read it standing right there at the bookstore and thought that it would be great for us to read it to our students as they start their journey growing their idea babies into project and prototypes. We wanted to emphasize that there might be several stages and versions of an idea and that it is all part of the growth and the journey that they will have with us.
Featured Partners
and Opportunities
PROJECT WAYFINDER
Our EI programming integrates Project Wayfinder activities as a way for our students to become more self- and world-aware, and guide in their creation of their passion projects. We are excited to share that Project Wayfinder is holding Summer Institutes – applications are officially open, and we encourage you to apply now. Join educators from around the world in bringing Project Wayfinder in your classroom. Watch this video and e-mail [email protected] to find out more.
PAHANA ʻĀINA LUPALUPA
The Pāhana ʻĀina Lupalupa (PAL) series of Hawaiian culture-based science readers takes keiki on a fascinating journey into the diverse environments that make Hawaiʻi a special place. From high mountain forests to coastal waters, young readers discover the amazing diversity of Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems and unique inhabitants. Colorful photographs, illustrations and informative text will delight and intrigue your young explorer, and Hawaiian language, traditions, and settings will help your keiki build a firm foundation in the rich, deep ʻāina of Hawaiʻi. Check out their resource site and learn more about the professional learning opportunities by contacting Chris McAdoo at [email protected].
GRIPTAPE COMES TO HAWAIʻI!
Education is a beautiful part of life, and GripTape works to put youth in the driver’s seat of learning so they can explore as they please and light up their hearts and minds. GripTape provides youth the opportunity to apply for financial support to pursue whatever learning endeavors they wish – driven by their interests and passions, and linked to their definition of success. Everyone says young people are the future, but GripTape actually places them in the position to become the future now. At Education incubator our goal is to close the gap between when we teach and learn and when kids change the world. With our values aligned, GripTape and EI are setting sail together to provide opportunities for Hawaiʻi youth! 2 asks: If you are a Hawaiʻi youth between ages 15-19 years old, apply for the GripTape Challenge! If you are someone who is interested in being a Champion for students who are going through the challenge, find out more!
GRIPTAPE COMES TO HAWAIʻI!
*special thanks to the KS team who came to visit this month and captured some photos of our team at work!
This month also brings transition and change to EI. EI team member Maggie Pulver will be taking a position with EI community client Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC), the state agency responsible for the management of the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve while it is held in trust for a future Native Hawaiian sovereign entity. After volunteering with KIRC and the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana for the last 6 years, becoming the Communications Specialist for KIRC is dream come true for Maggie – according to Maggie, her passion for Kahoʻolawe is one of the few things that parallels her passion of working with the team and students at EI. Join us in sending Maggie tons of love and aloha as she launches this new chapter of her life!
Events
- Feb 20 Potluck and Purpose Moai 5-7pm
- Feb 21 Griptape Youth Info Session at Hālau ʻĪnana 5-6pm
- Feb 26 Most Likely To Succeed Screening at Hālau ʻĪnana 6-7:30pm
- Feb 27 Potluck and Purpose Moai 5-7pm
- March 1 HVCA Awards Dinner – Come support Rooted.684 and other Hawaiʻi entrepreneurs
- Spring Break (stay tuned for specific dates) – Design Thinking for Educators with the crew from Moonshot IncubatorPlease contact [email protected] for more information on any of the above mentioned events!
Special
Announcement
Please consider buying a shirt or two to help our students from Hālau Kū Māna Papa Kīhāpai Grades 4 and 5 raise funds for their end of year trip to Lānaʻi. These shirts were designed with their ʻike ʻāina driving question in mind: How does self, place, and community sustain a healthy, effective and productive ahupuaʻa? Check out the design and purchase some shirts at goo.gl/5YPVef