"Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible." Class of 2009 Adopts a Stream! updates from 4/14/07 | updates from 5/26/07 On Saturday, February 10, 2007, members of the Class of 2009 took the first steps in their commitment to adopt the stream area in front of Salt Lake Elementary School. Project Chairpersons, Shane Michael Tom and Chanelle Dela Cruz had met with Iwalani Sato from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services over Christmas break to plan for the two year project. And on February 10, sophomores attended a "Train the Trainer" workshop to learn how to lead their fellow students in the project work. The Class of '09 learned to stencil storm drains, test water for temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and phosphates. They gained background into the storm water system and the kinds of threats to the water quality of our streams and coastal waters from runoff, chemicals, and trash. They then started in on one of the main activities of the project, the planting of native plants on the banks of the drainage canal. Here, now, are news and pictures from our first session on February 24, 2007! Sophomores clambered up the sides of the embankment to cut back the growth of brush and small trees and make room for the planting of native Hawaiian species of ground cover. They hauled all the greenwaste down the length of the canal and hauled it up to the waiting chipper. Moanalua High School is grateful for the guidance and support of Iwalani Sato, City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services and her staff, as well as Sale Lake Adopt-a-Stream Partners: City and County of Honolulu, Urban Forestry Division, Geotech Solutions, Inc., and Certified Erosion Control Hawaii.