The 38 fourth-graders at Island Pacific Academy spent the year learning about Hawaii’s environment. After starting a recycling program at school, they discussed what to do with the money they got from the bottles and cans they collected. The class had just learned that way too many feral (stray and unable to be tamed) cats live on the island, so they decided to give the money to a spay and neuter program called Malama Popoki.

How did your class decide to help the feral cats?

Michael B., 11: We were talking about what we’d do with the money we were getting from recycling. A lot of people were thinking a party, but a few people were thinking about the cats, and when I mentioned it, everybody was like, “Yeah!”

Emily M., 10: We collect cans from people who bring lunch in, and we cash them out for five cents each.

Dustin A., 10: Kids who drink water, or parents, they just bring the bottles to school and put them in a recycling bin. And either we or they take it upstairs to our class.

Jami A., 9: So far we’ve collected over 300, which is about … a lot of money! We’ve been donating it to the Malama Popoki, and we’re helping people adopt the kittens, and we help to spay and neuter them.