Island School at a Glance: Sustainablity and Service
Being environmentally responsible and giving back to the community are important elements of Island School's culture.
Students participate in regular activities that instill values that develop into lifelong pursuits.
Recycling has been part of Island School's culture since it opened in 1977. Students learn to do their part in caring for
the environment by observing the Three R's. Recycling is carried out throughout the campus. Clearly marked bins for
paper, plastic and aluminum are designed for students to think about what they throw away and to divert as much as
possible from our island's overwhelmed landfill. Students separate their lunch waste which is used as pig feed by local
farmers. A water refilling station (designed by an Island School alumnus) provides filtered drinking water for a small fee
and eliminates the need for disposable plastic water bottles. It is the responsibility of the Middle School students to
collect, sort and transfer recycled materials to our on-campus recycle station.
Three gardens have been developed by faculty and students: We have an aquaponics facility, which involves raising
tilapia in tanks and using their nutrient-rich water to nourish hydroponic vegetables. Our elementary students have
gardens dedicated to specific vegetables and herbs. These gardens are integrated with their studies in math, science,
art and language arts. Our Hawaiian garden raises vegetables and fruits native to Hawaiian culture
(taro, sweet potatoes, etc.). Harvests from all three gardens supplement our lunch program.
Island School students are truly fortunate. Not only do they live in paradise, they are the recipients of a top quality
education that will serve them for a lifetime. Because of this, it is important they learn to show their appreciation by
giving back and enriching their community.
To this end, high school students are required to serve at least twenty hours of community service each year; some
double or triple that amount of time! Students might help out at the Kaua'i Humane Society, others serve food for the
Kaua'i Food bank or church organizations. Tutoring is another way in which students earn community service credit.
The list is long and creative.
Also, in celebration of the founding of Island School, students in every grade spend the school's birthday working on
projects throughout the island. Class projects may include reading and/or singing to the residents of a nearby senior
care facility, removing invasive plants from sensitive areas, picking up trash at our parks and beaches, or sprucing up
our own campus.
Opportunities abound for student to make a difference in their community. From raising funds to send to disaster-stricken
areas such as Haiti and Japan, to supporting local food drives, our students are active contributors.