Beyond “Fine”

SEEQS: the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability is an innovative public charter school in Honolulu, Hawai’i, that emphasizes relevance and agency grounded in environmental and social engagement. Through their Essential Questions of Sustainability (EQS) model, students engage in real-world learning experiences, applying their knowledge to examine complex sustainability issues that impact their daily lives. SEEQS courses are designed around essential questions without simple answers (e.g., how can tourism honor and sustain Hawaii’s land, people, and culture?) and kick off with EQS Camp, a time where students build background knowledge through field studies, expert interviews, and experiences with community partners. No other classes are held during this time, allowing learners to truly immerse themselves in the essential question that interests them most. Over the course of the semester, students continue to investigate the essential question through student-driven projects, which vary from class to class and are shaped by a shared vision between students and teachers.

These interdisciplinary projects are highly rigorous, integrating core subjects like English, math, science, social studies, and the arts. They require students to use a range of thinking skills to make meaning of complex ideas. At the end of the semester, students showcase their learning through public project exhibitions that are open to the community. Both essential question courses and exhibitions draw upon expertise from beyond the walls of the physical school building, embracing relevant learning and fostering student agency.