Fish Market and Coconut Island

From Tonia Kushin, Lead Teacher, St. Paul Island School
Thursday April 29, 2010
Today was an eye opener day to marine science Hawaii style. We started the day off bright and early (5AM) with a trip to the Fish Auction. We could not believe the size of some of the fish that were on display (many like the Tuna, heavier yet smaller than the average students) , and the amount of work that goes into displaying the fish so they are ready for buyers to choose from. One surprising aspect there was the number of different
species being sold off of one boat. We are more used to just one species (halibut) being sold off of each boat. As it was explained it made great sense and reduced wasteful bycatch since there is a market for the multiple species.

We then headed across the island via the Likelike highway (which we later figured out was not called the Like like). It has been interesting to struggle over many of the Hawaiian names, yet to listen to some of the people we've introduced Aleut words to struggle over the pronunciation of our words. The students decided that maybe there are different mouth muscles used for the different sounds.


Just in the nick of time, we arrived at the dock and met Auntie Barbara, Sal, Katie, and Captain Fritz who took us out on a boat to Coconut Island,
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Along the way, we saw a few sea turtles, did a plankton tow and took a look at that through magnifiers,
When we landed, we were able to hike around the facility and Auntie Barbara gave us some great information on many subjects from satellite
tracking sharks to eradicating introduced algae species. Many of the students had their first up close and personal view of sharks (and a
puffer fish), we discussed the white sand and did an experiment showing harmful effects of ocean acidification, got caught in a cool rain squall,
discussed the harmful effects of marine debris (which we had just discussed with Tribal Eco folks during Bering Sea Days), investigated live
animals in a touch tank, and got to see coconuts! It was disturbingly similar types of marine debris found both at Hawaii and at home in the
Pribilofs.

Next was a trip to the Waikiki Aquarium where we met back up with Ms.Wende Goo who was instrumental in setting up many of the details/
reservations for the day for us. We chatted for awhile with Bud Antonelis (who some of you may know from his years on the Pribilofs doing fur seal
work) about the Hawaiian Monk Seal, looked through the various exhibit tanks, and were awed by many of the beautiful marine animals. We are really looking forward to our snorkeling outing(s).

Then if all that wasn't enough, we hit the pool at the end of the day. That was extremely refreshing all around. A bit of Pizza later, and the kids fell exhausted into dreamland. Thanks to everyone who made today possible and quite successful.

Tomorrow we change from life science to earth science and are headed to
the Big Island to check out the volcano and the National Park.

Pribilof Islanders Meet Hawaiian Islands!

From Mrs. Tonia Kushin, lead teacher from St. Paul Island School in Alaska

We are now in Honolulu (city), Oahu (island), Hawaii (state). As we neared landing we were all leaning toward the airplane windows hoping the flightattendant wouldn't notice and watched the Islands come into view. SoCool! Some seemed similar to home, but a few features stood out: Many,many more buildings on the island, one island we flew over even had buildings built inside a volcanic crater. Lots of large ships were seen too, that was impressive. Once we touched down and deplaned, the first impressions from the kids were so cute!
OMG, it's hot, I'm getting sweaty, It's so green, That's the tower from the internet! (airport
control tower).
After getting the van rentals, we made it to the hotel with only minor directional issues. There are SO many people, there must have been more people walking through the streets than even live in Anchorage!
By the time we were all checked in, the pool was closed for the night, so we headed to the hotel's restaurant: Jimmy Buffet's and got to hear some live music. Some of the girls finally even got up the nerve to head up to the dance floor!

Tomorrows activities include: the Fish Market/ Auction, visits to the Hawaiian Islands Marine Biology Institute and Waikiki Aquarium, and some swimming time before bed.

It's all about dreaming.

This all began three years ago. This new mission in education. This new mission in Life. I was selected to be a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmosperic Association) teacher at sea and Polar TREC (Polar Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) on the USCG Ice Breaker Healy during April and May 2007. It was the spring seasonal ice breakup, melt, and algal bloom in the Bering Sea. We could say Global Climate Change out loud. We could learn and observe what was happening in chilly Arctic. We could do science. It was the BEST (Bering Ecosystem STudy)! I was the luckiest teacher alive!

See, my students had begun to ask hard questions. They wondered about global climate change and how it would affect them. They lived on an island in the middle of the ocean. What would happen to the island? What would happen to them? I could not even begin to answer. There was little research done by US scientists on global climate change at that time. I needed to find out.

My school is in upcountry Maui. I teach a delightful blend of students, about 150 in all, hui po'okela. Although their ancestors came from a hundred different places, all have Hawaii in common. Kalama Intermediate School has a majority of students from Asian and Pacific Islander heritage. We are Hawaii. My students are proud of their cultures.

And my students learn in many ways. They are artists, they are engineers, they sing, they wiggle. My students learn science through multiple intelligences. Science class needs to educate all students so that they will be aware and engaged of the environmental problems that will face them as adults.

It seemed a natural to pair me with a teacher from the isolated Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, Tonia Kushin. My mission included a visit to the schools of St. Paul and St. George. I wrote to Tonia, and began a relationship that would lead to her island, teaching a library full of St. Paul School students on a stormy late April day.

And as I talked to the students of St. Paul, and urged them through the learning stations, I began to notice a similarity between her students and mine. Their Aleut roots were strong and proud, just like my students. I knew each would find a great deal of interest in each other.

We flew off St. Paul, AK that late April afternoon in 2007 with the wind pushing the helicopter around like a paper airplane. Inside my brain, this idea had taken root. This cultural exchange. Tonia and I wanted to have our students share in the culture of another island people. So began the Pribilof Penpal Club.

My students were fascinated with the Aleutian culture. We would exchange boxes of crafts and letters about once every few months. School year 2007-08 was the first year. Then 2008-2009, still going strong. However, 2009-10 was setback when furlough days took the spirit out of any extra activity. It became difficult to do even the mandated labwork.

Up in the Pribilofs, it was a totally different story. Tonia wrote to me to let me know that her students were coming to visit us. I was delighted, but so nervous. This was a dream come true. BUT! Would we be able to get it together to host these wonderful students and their teachers? How much time could we share? And what about Furlough Fridays; how would they impact the visit?

This week they arrive in Hawaii, and they are ready for a once in a lifetime learning extravaganza. Honolulu and Maui have opened their arms wide to share our beautiful islands, and our cultures. On Oahu, they have visits to the Polynesian Cultural Center and Fish Market planned, along with Reef Restoration with NOAA and Navigating Change. See the water is warm here.

And on Maui, they have a field trip with my science club to Waihe'e Land Trust and Iao Valley (May 3) , where they will learn the protocols to test water, and use a new remote controlled water robot, buildt by the club for just this purpose. We have a Cultural Share-A-Thon scheduled for the Kalama library (May 6) to compare and contrast the two native cultures of our islands. They will visit Makawao School Library to share their culture with 5^th grade students too. And to top it all off, they will attend May Day at Kamehameha School Maui Campus.

The Pribilof Kids are coming here, to MAUI! And what a fabulous time they will have. They learned a long time ago, that there is but one ocean on this earth that connects us all.

Websites: www.polartrec.com,

www.oneoceanonearth.blogspot.com

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/foci/ice07/index.html

Contact: Maggie Prevenas, Seventh Grade Science Teacher, Kalama Intermediate School, Makawao, HI phone: 808...