Throughout 2011, we have been working, largely behind the scenes, on creating a new push for environmental education and environmental literacy in Hawai‘i through the development of the Hawai‘i Environmental Literacy Plan (HELP). Working in partnership with the Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources and the Hawai‘i Environmental Education Alliance (HEEA), and in consultation with the Hawai‘i Dept. of Education, we are extremely pleased to announce the completion of the plan.

Why is this important? We believe it is because we urgently need people who are informed, lifelong learners who value Hawaii’s uniqueness, practice environmental stewardship, and live sustainably in their daily choices and actions. Please see what we and more than 100 people have worked on by downloading the HELP.

HELP will promote environmental learning and experiential education with an emphasis on outdoor settings. It is a framework to guide schools (PreK-12) and non-traditional educators in integrating place-based learning that is supported by community partners. And it works toward having all students graduate on-time as environmentally literate citizens.

Congress' bipartisan reform of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act currently includes the No Child Left Inside Act, which would award funding for the implementation of environmental literacy plans to qualifying states.

We hope you will join this movement. For more information, please call Michelle Jones, HEEA Chairperson at 808.587.4188 or michelle.g.jones@hawaii.gov.