A’o ‘Aina Professional Development Program

Kupu News Release 

Intermediate and high school educators on Molokai are eligible to apply for a paid professional development opportunity. Kupu, Hawaii’s leading conservation and environmental education nonprofit, recently announced that applications are open for the Aʻo ʻAina Professional Development Program. The deadline to apply is Friday, Sept. 29. Visit www.kupuhawaii.org/aoaina/  to apply. 

In partnership with the Malama Learning Center, this paid professional development opportunity for educators within the Department of Education on Oahu, Molokai, and Hawaii Island is designed to expose participants to careers and topics in natural resources and grow connections between educators and community organizations. Upon successful completion of the program, participants are awarded $595. 

With about 40 hours of programming from Oct. 2023 through Apr. 2024, Aʻo ʻAina offers a highly individualized, cohort-based learning model that provides educators an opportunity to develop curriculum, collaborate with their peers, establish deep connections with community organizations, and work towards an ʻAina-Based Education Certification.

Established in 2007 as a Honolulu-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Kupu empowers future generations to create a more sustainable Hawaii. The organization provides hands-on training and national service programs that educate and mentor youth to become stewards of culture and environment. Kupu has trained more than 5,200 youth and adults in conservation, sustainability, and environmental education. These young adults have supported Kupu partners to provide more than 3 million hours of service, which has culminated in planting over 1.5 million native plants and removing over 151,000 acres of invasive species. For their service, Kupu has presented $6.3 million in education awards to support the continued growth of its members. To date, Kupu has generated more than $176 million in economic benefits to the state of Hawaii. For more information, follow Kupu on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, or visit kupuhawaii.org.