Sustainability Spotlight: Michelle Hansen-Daberkow at Kahoa Elementary

“What gets me excited is when I see youth take the lead in thinking about how water has a footprint, how each person can save the ocean by picking up trash, and become more aware of all  the simple things we can do that matter.” -Hansen-Daberkow

Kahoa’s school garden plays a primary role in sustainability efforts and many teachers utilize the area for outdoor learning. Art classes record how plants change through the various seasons, while math and science classes use the garden features to bring lessons outside. Garden Clubs are also being reimplemented into before and after school programs this year after having been paused due to the pandemic. 

Beyond garden activities, Hansen-Daberkow also helped students facilitate other green and sustainable activities. Last year, students created nature journals, incorporated real seeds into their art, and made new creations using recycled products. Kahoa started the Save A Tree Campaign where students made 75 posters to educate their classmates about tree conservation. Students also made water saving posters to put up around the school, learned about carbon footprints, created sustainability tips to share with the whole building, and so much more. As a result of Kahoa’s green efforts, they received $500 in funding for being the top earning elementary school for the 2020-21 Green Schools Recognition Program. Future plans for the funding include getting compost to put on garden beds and purchasing new plants for students to plant in the garden, including blue and yellow flowers to represent their school colors.