Division of State Parks

New Educational Exhibit Created by Students and Teachers of Waikiki Elementary School

“Waikiki School sits at the base of this iconic landmark. Leahi, also known as Diamond Head is part of who we are. Students and staff learn and play in its shadow. We are extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to partner with Hawaii State Parks which allowed us to immerse our students in the history, culture, and biological diversity of Leahi. Please enjoy these signs and artwork produced by the children of Waikiki School, ‘The Mindful School’, and hopefully you will walk away with a sense of awe and wonder befitting such a beautiful site.”

Courtney Carpenter

Partnerships and Placed-Based Education Coordinator

Waikiki School

Resources:

• 4th grade plant signs: Lory Peroff, Eileen Carr –

Sign 1 Leahi Plants Waikiki El. 2024

Sign 2 Leahi Plants Waikiki El 2024

Brochure Leahi Plants Waikiki El 2024

• 3rd grade mosaic and ‘iwa sign: classes of Nannette Ganotisi, Blissa Miyasaki, Bree Okamura, and Joni Yasuda –

Sign 3 ʻiwa mosaic Waikiki El 2024

• 5th grade videos: Jason Marvel –

Sign 4 Video Interviews Waikiki El 2024

EXPERIENCE THE NEW EXHIBIT AT KIDS TO PARKS DAY: May 18, 10am to 2pm

At Diamond Head State Monument, We Take Pride in Educating The Next Generation.

`Ike, meaning knowledge, is something that our interpretive team at Diamond Head State Park values greatly. It connects each generation and catalyzes the growth of communities. That is why educational programs for kids are one of our primary endeavors.

Our interpretive team has been working to educate Hawaii’s keiki (children) on four major concepts: History, Geology, Biodiversity, and Hawaiian culture. In the past year, we had the opportunity to visit several schools and host field trips with lessons geared around each topic. Kaimuki Middle school and Waikiki Elementary are consistent visitors, with several of their classes currently participating in a series of lessons taking place in the crater, led by our interpretive staff. It’s easy to say that their favorite lessons are about biodiversity, as the students are especially captivated by the plants and animals within the crater. One way that we teach visiting students is by offering Junior Ranger booklets, which feature a wide variety of educational games and activities about the crater and the life within it. We continue to offer our junior ranger booklets not only to our students but to children visiting from around the world. These booklets are a great opportunity to get their ohana (family) involved as well! 

Kids to Parks Day is a Great Way to Bring the Community Together to Learn and Connect With Nature.

In addition to educating our local keiki in the classroom, we also invite our community to Diamond Head for volunteer workdays and events that involve community partners that focus on malama ʻāina (taking care of the land). One such event is called Kids to Parks Day, and It takes place this month. May 18th  was designated by the National Park Trust 14 years ago as a “national day of play”. This Annual event is held in parks across the country to bring America’s children out into nature, teach them the importance of the environment, and to promote outdoor discovery and exploration. Diamond Head’s interpretive staff has had the pleasure of hosting this event since 2018, with incredible turnout and feedback each year.

While the event was created with keiki in mind, we encourage all who are interested to join us! Our staff strives to bring the entire community together to learn and preserve our precious natural landmarks. There will be many games, crafts, and lessons for visitors of all ages. We are pleased to announce that we are collaborating with a dozen organizations to provide fun activities and educational content on May 18th. Our diverse group of partners ensure that there will be something for everyone:

Hawaii State Parks

Trees for Kaimuki

Girl Scouts of Hawaii

YMCA Camp Erdman

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response

Plant Extinction Prevention Program

Hawaii Marine Animal Response

Global Preservation Initiative

Pacific Historic Parks

Oahu Search and Rescue

Honolulu Fire Department

Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement

Kids to Parks Day Not only Brings Families Outdoors, it Also Aims to Foster Environmental Stewardship.

What makes Kids to Parks Day so rewarding is seeing keiki and their ohana getting excited about the environment during games. Our interpretive staff connects these immersive games to real stewardship values, which really helps youth to understand environmental concepts. This method of teaching will be especially effective for all of our partners that specialize in topics such as La’au lapa’au, biodiversity, environmental protection, and safety. This annual event is the perfect opportunity to bring ohanas outdoors and teach them how to be environmental stewards in the future. Obtaining this ‘ike along with great memories will help keep the concept of malama ʻāina alive. 

Thanks to our awesome partners, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about environmental programs, participate in Hawaiian crafts, play sports and games on the field, and even take home some swag. Our combined content will surely make Diamond Head’s Kids to Parks Day event a one-of-a-kind experience. We can’t wait to meet more of our community members, and show them what Diamond Head State Park has to offer on Kids to Parks Day. We hope to see you there!

Register your ʻohana for the event on the following link: https://forms.office.com/g/FtRncNt3d3.