Fifth graders in Planet Protectors: Sustaining Our World, offered through the Punahou Summer Programs, are discovering how everyday actions can make a positive impact on the environment through hands-on learning, field experiences and collaborative projects.
Throughout the five-week course, students explore sustainability from multiple perspectives while strengthening their reading, writing, research and problem-solving skills. Lessons connect real-world environmental challenges with practical solutions, encouraging students to think critically about caring for people, place and planet.
Field trips bring classroom concepts to life. At MetroGrow, students learn about hydroponic farming and innovative water conservation practices, including how condensation from air conditioning systems is collected and reused to irrigate plants. They sample fresh herbs and vegetables grown on-site while discovering how creative thinking can reduce waste and conserve resources. At the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, students learn how locally grown crops are transformed into value-added products that support Hawaiʻi farmers and small businesses, even making their own kimchi. A visit to Mari’s Garden introduces students to aquaponics, composting and other sustainable growing methods that help reduce waste while supporting healthy ecosystems.
Back on campus, sustainability becomes part of students’ daily routine. They plan and prepare meals together using fresh ingredients, learn how sourdough starters can reduce food waste, care for classroom gardens, propagate sweet potatoes, research aquaponics and design planting beds filled with vegetables and herbs. Through these experiences, students build confidence while gaining a deeper understanding of sustainable food systems, teamwork and environmental stewardship.
During the fourth week of the course, students also explored technology as a tool for sustainability through a demonstration by rising senior Charlie Koh ’27. Charlie shared his Ainasense Kit, an educational engineering project inspired by his participation in Punahou’s Project Accelerator and Sustainability Fellowship programs. Students assemble the kit by installing a circuit board and display screen, connecting switches, batteries and sensors, and enclosing the device before testing it. The completed device measures soil moisture, temperature and humidity, demonstrating how technology can help farmers determine exactly when crops need water and support more sustainable food production.
The class also explores how sustainability extends beyond the garden. During a lesson on Hawaiʻi’s invasive taʻape fish, students learn how harvesting the species can benefit local ecosystems while preparing a fish fry with fresh vegetables. They also discover creative ways to reduce waste by repurposing fish skins into leather and fish scales into jewelry, demonstrating that nearly every part of a resource can have a second life.
By combining science, engineering, gardening, cooking and environmental stewardship, Planet Protectors: Sustaining Our World empowers students to think creatively, solve real-world problems and become thoughtful caretakers of the environment – one of the many unique learning opportunities offered through the Punahou Summer Programs.
Photos by Shelly Yoshikawa