An Opportunity to Inspire Young Minds

Throughout July, ‘Āko‘ako‘a had the opportunity to work with cultural advisory board member Kaʻimi Kaupiko and his students from the Miloli‘i Alu Like program. From coral nursery visits and coral reef education to marine operations work, these students were immersed in the world of coral restoration along the coastline of West Hawai‘i.

A particular opportunity was a result of the collaboration and partnership between ‘Āko‘ako‘a and the Hawai‘i Marine Education and Research Center (MERC) based in Miloli‘i. Students prepared coral settlement tiles for deployment, allowing us to understand where corals are born and where they settle naturally, giving insight into what promotes the ability of coral larvae to establish on the reef.

With the Alu Like students on board our Kai Surveyor research vessel, the field team worked to place settlement tiles outside of Ho‘okena Beach Park. Students had the opportunity to snorkel and observe the tiles being placed that they had worked to prep earlier in our lab. Not only did the students get to witness their efforts being utilized in the larger restoration project, they had fun doing it!

Weeks later, the field team headed back out to the deployment site to collect the settlement tiles where they will then be studied at Hawai‘i MERC to understand the larval settlement patterns of corals on the South Kona coast. Overall, this month-long process exemplified the goal of ‘Āko‘ako‘a, which is to fuse multi-modal education and advanced science. Giving students the opportunity to work hands-on with our coral restoration efforts and be a part of the work is key to inspiring the next generation of coral restoration advocates and educators.