School: Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
    Lihue, Hawaii, United States

20 students, ages from 11 to 12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 1, 2001. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2001

Classes and Teachers: Leah L. Aiwohi

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://kauila.k12.hi.us/~dare

1. Description of Our Community

We consider our schools to be our communities. Students spend most of their time in schools, not only learning academic disciplines but also disciplines of life and whereas we find ourselves in predicaments where students are tempted to stray from making good choices, we’d like to do our part in keeping our community a comfortable one where everyone can feel safe.

Students in the Middle School years are exposed to a range of situations where outside pressures may dissuade them from standing their ground and continuing to make good choices. We feel the student population needs to be reminded about the dangers and consequences of substance abuse and addictions.

Building the DARE Kauai website will help in reinforcing the lessons students learn in 3rd and again in 5th grade from DARE officers that instruct classes about drug awareness. We’re extending our community beyond the boundaries of four-walled classrooms so that even from home or elsewhere, students’ learnings can still be reinforced.

2. Summary of Our Project

Kauai, the oldest of the 8 major Hawaiian islands takes pride in the many natural splendors surrounding its people, however, we also find ourselves amidst many serious societal scenery, specifically the drug environment. Our class is building a partnership with our local police department in creating a website to promote the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education program already implemented by the police department. Our focus will be to reinforce the teachings about drug use/effects and promote positive choices.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Probably the biggest challenge this year was working with the range of experiences the students started the class with, technology-wise. Some had some computer time at their previous school, but was unfamiliar with browsers and working with graphics. And I also had students who're accomplished web builders. Although they all started at different levels, I'm so pleased to see so much growth in their technological abilities since the beginning.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Service-Learning in action!

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

The criteria set up in the Advanced Technology class these students are part of was designed to help students meet Hawaii Technology Standards more appropriate to the high school level.

The students have incorporated Service-Learning in their technology class, applying the technology they're learning to a real-world need.

Students have begun to realize that in different ways, they can contribute to building up a community and maintaining the standards of behavior within a community.

The Internet has been such a useful tool because not only has it been a research option for the students, but it has become the platform for their learning and sharing about what they're learning.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

This is the first year our school has opened, so in planning to equip a computer lab 30 computers were ordered for the lab from the beginnng. The classroom teacher took the liberty of ordering the software to be purchased taking into consideration that advanced graphics works would be done as well as audio/video media.

Students have been using software such as Adobe PhotoShop 5.5, Macromedia Flash4 and Flash5, Amorphium, CorelDraw9, MapEdit, Sonic Forge Sound FoundryXP, to name a few. Students have also had access to digital cameras, scanners, as well as a SmartBoard which they have utilized in teaching each other the various features of the software they work with.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

The students are all DARE graduates themselves, having gone through the program during their third and fifth grade school years. They are familiar with what's taught and the issues that are of concern for adults when students begin experimenting with drugs.

The students have become ambassadors in the sense that they see themselves as role models for others to follow and have conducted their behaviors accordingly.

At one point in our project, I sent two of my students to an elementary school to get some digital photographs of our DARE officer teaching a class. The students proudly shared with me how they introduced themselves and talked about our project with the younger students. It was evident that already my technology students were taking pride and ownership for their work just by their show of excitement in sharing the experience.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

This project has opened the door for many more possibilities with other partnerships in our community. Because of our efforts this year, we were accepted to participate in a special program where a local foundation donates $2000 to a charity of our choice, because we participated in a service-learning project that required students to addressed their in-school learning to a real-world purpose.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Our local police department has been very supportive throughout our project. They've helped us to make contact with CrimeStoppers and other local agencies that provided us with factual information and statistics.

Schools that

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

This year I was humbled when my students started learning software applications before I did. They ended up teaching me, which I didn't mind. I actually enjoyed the role-change because it demonstrated how proficient the students had become with technology and applying their learning.