As part of a class project, business students from Heald College are working with the nonprofit group Kalihi Ahupua'a Ulu Pono Ahahui to make a difference in the quality of Kalihi Stream.

KAUPA has hosted Second Saturdays for Sustainability — cleaning the stream once a month — for the past year, and volunteers will gather again May 10 for another go at it, but the group of 12 needs help.

The students decided to use their expertise in advertising to help get the word out to boost the number of volunteers.

"They are collaborating with TheBus to obtain free panel advertisements, appearing on KITV's Community Minute, working with multicultural media, passing out fliers and inviting other students and groups to participate," said Fran Acoba, a psychology and business instructor at Heald College.

Each month the students will volunteer with the organization to ensure that it becomes a part of the Heald College life, Acoba said. Along with 50 other organizations, KAUPA will become part of Heald's ongoing community service projects, she said.

"The goal of this project is to establish a social consciousness that students are developing core ethical practices and social responsibility toward making positive, long-lasting differences in their community," Acoba said.

With no Web site and a small staff, KAUPA depends on the help of volunteers to complete its projects.

"The students have really gotten a lot of advertising that I wouldn't have thought about or had time for," said Barbara Natale, KAUPA coordinator of administration, outreach and media.

With the motto "Think Green, Think Clean, Help Restore Kalihi Stream," the volunteers pick up and bag rubbish within and along the banks, eradicate invasive species, transplant native plants and remove graffiti.

Natale said another goal of the Second Saturdays for Sustainability is to create a native Hawaiian garden for the community to cultivate and harvest edible and medicinal plants.

Founded in 2006, KAUPA is dedicated to restoring natural and cultural resources through education, outreach and action. Besides working to restore Kalihi Stream, the organization educates children, promotes exercise, cleans storm drains and recycles old tires and batteries.

"Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between the people and the land," Natale said.

Acoba said students are glad to be working with KAUPA because it is an organization that serves the community and supports environmental life to provide a safer space for children and families.