Academic Enrichment Grant 2026-2027 Project Summary

Ms. Chayanee Brooks

Ka’u High and Pahala Elementary School • Pahala, HI

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation has awarded an Academic Enrichment Grant to Ms. Chaynee Brooks for Exploring Ocean Literacy: Our Interconnectedness Ocean of Hawaiʻi, an innovative two-year interdisciplinary project at Kaʻū High School. Bringing together Marine Science and English Language Arts, the project will engage 50 juniors and seniors in immersive, place-based learning that connects traditional Hawaiian knowledge with modern marine science. Students will investigate the health of Kaʻū’s coral reefs through field research, oral history interviews with kupuna, and partnerships with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and Kuleana Coral Restoration. Grounded in the community’s deep cultural ties to the ocean, the project empowers students to become advocates for sustainable fishing practices and reef conservation while strengthening their research, communication, and scientific inquiry skills.

Throughout the project, students will collect environmental data, learn coral restoration techniques, and explore how healthy reefs support both biodiversity and local livelihoods. Students will share their learning through digital magazines, educational campaigns, interactive exhibits, and multimedia storytelling. During a field experience to Oʻahu, they will work alongside coral restoration professionals to produce a broadcast-quality documentary for HIKI NŌ PBS Hawaiʻi.

The project will culminate in an Ocean Literacy Exposition, where students will lead workshops and museum-style exhibits that promote reef stewardship and safe fishing practices for families and community members. By blending rigorous academics with Native Hawaiian cultural knowledge and locally relevant environmental action, Exploring Ocean Literacy: Our Interconnectedness Ocean of Hawaiʻi exemplifies the power of student-driven learning to preserve both natural resources and cultural traditions for future generations.

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