School Wellness Newsletter – MAY 2022
Welcome back to our new monthly school wellness newsletter update! We invite school leaders, parents, students, and anyone interested in school wellness here in Hawai‘i to check out our newsletter that's jam-packed with upcoming events and opportunities as well as community and school highlights.
"What's New with Schools?" will also be featured in all our statewide newsletters so make sure you're signed up to receive the latest Blue Zones Project – Hawai‘i news!
EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Programs for Keiki
The Summer Programs Database from Hawai‘i Afterschool Alliance is a great tool for families to find summer programs for their keiki! The database contains official DOE summer school, learning hubs and summer program offerings from community-based organizations, school based programs, and City and County Summer Fun! You can also check out all the information via this spreadsheet. More programs will be added throughout the spring and summer, so be sure to check back for updates.
University of Hawai'i Pharmacy Exploration Center
Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) has a new online resource called the University of Hawai’i Pharmacy Exploration Center. When initially thinking of pharmacy, most students think of the community pharmacist (i.e., CVS, Walgreens, etc.) or a hospital pharmacist, but there are so many other areas of focus that pharmacists can work in that they may not know of. This online resource allows students to watch short videos about different career opportunities to see if pharmacy might be the career for them. DKICP is also always open to meeting (in-person or virtually) with classes attending career fairs, or with those interested in guest speakers to share about pharmacy as a career. If interested, you can contact Jarred Prudencio, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM at 808-932-7703 or jarred.prudencio@hawaii.edu.
Hawai'i Island School Garden Network
The Hawaiʻi Island School Garden Network (HISGN) works to cultivate the relationship among children, teachers and ʻāina by nourishing a vibrant network that supports the growth and integration of school learning gardens through professional development, advocacy, mentorship, and technical assistance. They are available to provide technical assistance free of charge to schools educators on Hawai‘i Island that are interested in establishing, revitalizing, or expanding their school garden programs! Find out more about HISGN here, and if you need assistance, fill out the HISGN Technical Assistance Form.
You can also check out other islands’ garden networks through these links:
BRIGHT SPOTS
What's happening in our schools to support wellness?
School Wellness Symposium
Kau-Kea’au-Pahoa (KKP) Wellness Symposium on April 22 was a great success! KKP Complex Area schools gathered to learn about the CA’s new “E Ola Pono” award that recognizes schools who complete a series of components such as 90%+ compliance with State Wellness Guidelines, completion of the School Health Index and other elements that contribute to staff, student and family well-being. It was a great opportunity for wellness teams to reenergize after the last few years, share best practices, brainstorm solutions to common challenges, meet supportive community partners, and best of all, plan for the 2022-23 school year!
Voice of Campbell Ohana
Teachers and students from Campbell High's Voice of Campbell Ohana (VOCO) visited students at nearby Ewa Beach Elementary School for a campus beautification project. Students refreshed the school's landscape with a variety of native plants. Everyone had so much fun digging, fertilizing, and mulching that some kids could be overheard saying "why don't I help my mom in her garden?" VOCO students are already thinking of other ways to partner with and support neighbor schools in coming years.
Kapolei-Ewa Community Certification Celebration
Many area schools took part in the Kapolei-Ewa Community Certification Celebration during the month of April. Over at Island Pacific Academy, volunteers helped in the garden, helped prepare for the upcoming May Day performance, cleaned supplies that had been stored during the pandemic, painted new hopscotches and four square, re-stenciled the Blue Zones designs around the Elementary, and helped with some of the 5th Grade American Revolution Museum preparations. WOW!!
Waimea Middle School's Core Values Video
Waimea Middle School shared this fun video of their Virtual IKAIR Ho'ike. IKAIR stands for the school’s core values of ‘Ike (knowledge), Kaizen (daily self-improvement), Accountability, Integrity and Respect. The video showcases students speaking to and about how they incorporate these values into daily life.
Have a success story or events/opportunities to share? Email Megan.Yarberry@sharecare.com and you could be featured in our next newsletter!
Join the Well-Being Movement!
Email our team to learn more about partnering with us to make healthy choices easier at your worksite, school, grocery store, restaurant, or faith-based organization.
Check out all participating organizations.
Sign up to receive community updates!
Learn more at www.bzphawaii.com
