More Hawaii Island schoolchildren are receiving an opportunity to benefit from curriculum-related field trips to ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center during the 2018-19 academic year thanks to a gift from the Japan Foundation for Promotion of Astronomy through Subaru Telescope.
The donation of $8,950.15 enables ‘Imiloa to increase the number of public and charter school students served in its popular field trip program, especially those from the most geographically distant areas of Hawaii Island.
As a center for “informal science” education on the University of Hawaii at Hilo campus, ‘Imiloa has organized student field trips since shortly after its opening in 2006. The astronomy center now hosts nearly 13,000 students and teachers each year.
Each school group receives a customized program designed to take advantage of the center’s immersive environment, including a state-of-the-art digital planetarium, an interactive exhibit hall showcasing astronomy and Hawaiian culture and several acres of native gardens.
“Evidence shows that science ‘sticks’ when children can learn in an informal setting, outside the confines of a traditional classroom … how much more so in the hands-on environment of a dynamic and multi-faceted center like ‘Imiloa!” said ‘Imiloa executive director Ka‘iu Kimura. “We are very grateful to the Japan Foundation for Promotion of Astronomy and Subaru Telescope for sharing our vision and helping us inspire the next generation of explorers and innovators.”
During the course of the 2017-18 school year, ‘Imiloa estimates its 12,861 field trip participants included a record 5,000 students from Hawaii Island’s public and charter K-12 school population, just more than 18 percent of the island’s total DOE enrollment. While ‘Imiloa also hosts field trips from the neighbor islands, as well as from the mainland and overseas countries, it assumed a special mission to serve the students on its home island, raising funds each year to subsidize round-trip charter bus transportation for as many Hawaii Island schools as possible.
Subaru Telescope Director Michitoshi Yoshida shared that the observatory was very proud to be able to recommend funding for ‘Imiloa’s program to the Japan Foundation for Promotion of Astronomy.
“Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of Subaru Telescope’s receiving light from the universe for the first time,” Yoshida said. “We are indebted to the people of the Big Island for their support over these two decades and want to say thank you to the local community by helping to make it possible for local keiki to visit the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center.”
Since 2002, the Japan Foundation for Promotion of Astronomy through Subaru Telescope has made a total of $156,000 in grants to UH-Hilo to support initiatives that foster education about astronomy in the Big Island community.
Sharing Hawaii’s legacy of exploration, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center is a world-class center for informal science education. ‘Imiloa is located at 600 ‘Imiloa Place in Hilo.
For more information, visit www.ImiloaHawaii.org or call 932-8901.