LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery on-site manager Jean Souza said a video on the anniversary of KOD will start airing this week on Ho‘ike Kaua‘i Community Television channel 54.
Located in Kukui Grove Center, the facility that is operated by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation opened in January of last year, featuring free admission, educational exhibit panels and an ambiance conducive to learning and discovery of the ocean.
In March, the rapidly-growing COVID-19 global pandemic shuttered the doors to Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery and other visitor centers across the nation operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of National Marine Sanctuary.
“Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery remains closed for now,” Souza said on the eve of the facility’s anniversary.
“But the ocean-focused education and learning continues in a big way thanks to a renewed commitment by the center’s staff and collaborative partners to help Kaua‘i’s students and families. This is, and always has been, about team.”
Souza, now with free time available due to the KOD shutting down, improved her skillset by enrolling in a production class at Ho‘ike. She was joined by staff of other Hawai‘i facilities engaged in honing skills to improve community outreach and education from behind doors closed by the pandemic.
“We might be closed physically,” Souza said, “but the education and outreach is still there, and probably in greater amounts. We have education for teachers, students of all level and the community — and you don’t even need to have a computer, thanks to Ho‘ike and channel 54.”
The anniversary celebration of Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery is one of the results of Souza’s renewed commitment toward outreach and providing education. She also initiated a new column in a local monthly publication.
“It should be airing by the time this article is printed,” Souza said. “And, because it is short, Ho‘ike is able to fit it between programs a number of times.”
The collaboration between Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery and Ho‘ike resulted in a basic free daily showing of Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery programming, including webinars by Hawai‘i experts and video collections of sanctuary education from staff of other facilities that have been closed by COVID-19.
Ho‘ike scheduling has Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery programming on Sunday from 3 p.m., Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. for Maui-based productions, and from 3:30 p.m. for NOAA webinars, Wednesday from 3 p.m., Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. for NOAA webinars, Fridays from 10:30 a.m., and Saturdays from 3:30 p.m. for NOAA webinars.
This basic time schedule is subject to change with space availability resulting in repeat showings and more-frequent shows.
Webinar programming has been organized using the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries education webinar series that include Hawai‘i-based experts on whales, manta rays, Hawaiian culture, marine life and community efforts being featured.
“What started out as a series of webinar re-broadcasts from the National Marine Sanctuary libraries has now been substantially expanded to include new webinars, a new series of workshops for educators, a new series for kids and more,” Souza said. “The Ho‘ike showings join the periodic, free, grab-and-go learning kits that are done collaboratively outside the Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery at Kukui Grove. The doors might be shut, but we don’t want people to forget us.
“I wanted to find a safe way to get our learning materials into the hands of families and students who were trying to cope with distance learning,” Souza said.
“It seemed a shame that the materials were locked up behind closed doors. With the help from many partners on Kaua‘i, we have done kits on seabirds, marine mammals, humpback whales and Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery.”
Distribution of these kits have been aided by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources, Princeville Public Library and Deja Vu Surf Hawai‘i at Kukui Grove Center.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
