Highways Maui District offers school presentations on stormwater management and environmental stewardship. Photo courtesy of Highways Maui District

Free educational resources focusing on stormwater awareness are available to Maui County schools through the state Department of Transportation.

The program offers two key educational opportunities – interactive classroom presentations on environmental stewardship and hands-on education modules combining Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for students in grades K through 12.

Classroom presentations on stormwater awareness include interactive activities and discussions led by environmental experts who teach about Maui’s storm drain system, its relationship to the ocean, the impacts of pollution, and what can be done to help safeguard the island’s ecosystems.

Each presentation fits into one class period with the state highways district on Maui providing multiple presentations throughout the school day, depending on the volume of participating teachers and classrooms.

Interactive classroom activities help students learn about how managing stormwater runoff helps to protect the ocean and other bodies of water. Photo courtesy of Highways Maui District
An educational bridge building module provided by AASHTO and Highways Maui District introduces engineering principles to students. Photo courtesy of Highways Maui District

The hands-on STEM education modules are available through a partnership between state Highways Maui District and the American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials.

Five specialized modules are currently available: Bridge Builder, Safety, Construction, Environmental and Elementary.

For elementary school students, the AASHTO module promotes real-world problem-solving and activities designed to bring math and science concepts to life.

For the 7 to 12 grade levels, AASHTO modules emphasize critical thinking skills along with engineering principles and design and construction topics,

It also introduces students to potential transportation and civil engineering careers. Each educational module typically takes two to three hours.

Teacher training, classroom visits and STEM modules are provided free of charge to eligible schools.

To schedule a school presentation or learn more about the STEM modules, interested school administrators and teachers should contact Ty Fukuroku, program manager of Environmental Management, Highways Maui District, at ty.h.fukuroku@hawaii.gov.

For more information about Highways Maui District’s educational resources for teachers and students, including STEM modules, visit the Education & Outreach page at www.stormwatermaui.com.