When Garret Zakahi joined Jefferson Elementary School in Waikiki as principal, enrollment was under 300 students and there were far more residents requesting a geographic exception for their kids to attend other public schools than the other way around. In fact, 11 years ago, no one requested a GE to Jefferson. That had to change.
So he had an idea. He wanted to create something special at Jefferson, a reason for parents to send their kids to the historic school on Kapahulu Avenue. In less than six months, he did just that — and more.
A little backstory: Zakahi majored in aquaculture at the University of Hawaii Manoa, following a passion he had growing up fishing in the streams in Aiea. It wasn't until he realized working in the industry at the time wouldn't pay the bills that he went back to UH for a master of education in teaching degree. "I had an awakening," Zakahi says, laughing, about earning $6.25 an hour raising shrimp.
With his aquaculture experience — and interest — he decided to build aquaponics systems at the school. Within six months — with Zakahi putting in long hours after school and on weekends — the program was up and running. It started with the older kids coming up with the design for four aquaponics systems, deciding what it would look like and what they would grow. In just five months, the kids had learned about system design, collected data on the mass of fish and plants they were growing and tracked water flow and pH levels. Oh, and they harvested tilapia, herbs and taro leaves that they shared with their families and the school's faculty and staff.
Read the entire article at Honolulu Civil Beat