Earth Day is officially in three days, however, the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind (HSDB) has been celebrating the occasion all week. This morning, the school welcomed families who have a Deaf and/or hard of hearing child, community members and classes from other public and private schools to a special Earth Day Celebration. The festivities included a Butterfly Project area, lessons about dolphins and whales, bike rides and a free farm-to-table lunch.

“The goal of today’s event was to wrap up a week of Earth Day lessons and field trips for our students. We thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to build partnerships with community organizations, schools and families, so we decided to open the event and welcome others to our campus,” said Principal Dr. Angel Ramos. “This was a Deaf-friendly event that allowed attendees to engage with Deaf professionals, connect with other families with Deaf and/or hard of hearing children, and create fun memories.”

The event also included the unveiling of a mural painted by artist Kristin Akina, a former HSDB student, and current student artists at the school. The mural includes images of butterflies, caterpillars and rainbows.  It’s a visual representation of the classroom lessons where students were able to witness of the transformation of their own caterpillars using butterfly kits provided by Monsanto Hawaii. 

“I wanted to create a piece of art that the students felt a connection to because of their experiences in the classroom. I also included imagery that is Deaf-friendly and incorporated sign language so the piece would be meaningful to future Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind students, and also serve as a statement to the community about inclusion, tolerance and diversity,” shared Akina. 

Booths were set up throughout the campus and featured activities and lessons from partner organizations including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Dolphin Quest, 808-Beach Cleanup and Hui Manu O Ku. Attendees were able to plant as a family in the school garden, create a mural from the items collected during the beach cleanup, and interact with butterflies in a butterfly tent. 

“It was really exciting getting ready for today’s event. There is just so much going on and a lot to learn. We are thankful for everyone who took the time to make this Earth Day so special for my school,” added sophomore Vernicole Agustin. 

To learn more about HSDB, their events and student news, follow them on Facebook and Twitter, @HSDBDolphins.