Hawaiian Civic Clubs of Hilo & Laupahoehoe are sponsoring “La’au Wailea,” a series of cultural workshops today from 1-4 p.m. at Akiko’s Bed and Breakfast. Cultural practitioners Aunties Pi’ilani Luis and Annie Kuamo’o will provide their mana’o on the ka niu (coconut), health properties, kaula (coconut fiber sinew), cultural cooking, growing it, how to harvest ka niu and the Hana No’eau project: weaving on your own.
Hawaiian Civic Clubs of Hilo & Laupahoehoe are sponsoring “La‘au Wailea,” a series of cultural workshops today from 1-4 p.m. at Akiko’s Bed and Breakfast. Cultural practitioners Aunties Pi‘ilani Luis and Annie Kuamo‘o will provide their mana‘o on the ka niu (coconut), health properties, kaula (coconut fiber sinew), cultural cooking, growing it, how to harvest ka niu and the Hana No’eau project: weaving on your own.
How to get to Akiko’s: Take Highway 19 to the 15-mile marker. Turn left at “Wailea” overpass and make a second quick left. Drive past baseball park and park by cars on left side of bakery. Look for Akiko’s on the right. RSVP. Contact: (808) 989-5946 or islandangel62@yahoo.com. This is a community collaboration made possible through a cultural grant.
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The Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School first Fun Fest is coming this Saturday, March 24, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the school’s campus.
There will be free food, games, sports, door prizes, dancing, music and a bouncy castle. This event is rain or shine and is open for all ages.
This festival is to welcome the community and provide information for the 2012-2013 opening of the Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School. Come to meet the school community partners. For more information, email info@laupahoehoecharterschool.com or call 430-8699.
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Council Chairman Dominic Yagong invites the public to a meeting to update the community on projects in the Hamakua area. Project updates include the Ahualoa Well Project, Kapulena Well Project, Honokaa Sewer Connection Project, Lehua Sidewalk Project and the leasing of county lands in Paauilo.
“So many things are happening in Hamakua, and we will provide time to discuss other matters as well,” said Chairman Yagong.
The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 19, at the Honokaa Peoples Theatre. For information, call Yagong at 961-8538.
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“Ku ‘Aina Pa: Standing Firmly with Knowledge upon the Land” leads to the Kohala Center which has developed a new School Garden Teacher Training and Certification Course for Hawaii’s teachers under a USDA Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom grant. TKC is now recruiting 20 Hawaii Island teachers to join the initial cohort of trainees. Interested teachers must submit their applications by March 30.
The year-long training program begins with an intensive summer session in Waimea from June 10-16.
“School gardens are not a new idea in Hawaii, and their renewal in these times calls upon our garden educators to strengthen their skills and educational knowledge and work with the deep connections that exist between human and ecosystem health and the community,” says Nancy Redfeather, coordinator of the Hawaii Island School Garden Network and member of the Ku ‘Aina Pa teaching team.
The Ku ‘Aina Pa certification course is designed to provide Pre-K-8 educators with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully plan, develop and sustain learning gardens at their schools. The course will build upon practicing and connecting the following ideas: principles of sustainability; whole systems thinking; STEM concepts in the school learning garden; nutrition: seed to seed; creating sustainable programs and community partnerships; best practices of organic gardening systems; teacher toolbox for working with children in the outdoor classroom; creating place-based and experiential learning experiences for students; linking school gardens to core curriculum.
The Ku ‘Aina Pa teaching team includes Betsy Cole and Nancy Redfeather from TKC; Amanda Rieux from Mala‘ai: The Culinary Garden at Waimea Middle School; and Koh Ming Wei, sustainability/environmental curriculum facilitator at Hawaii Preparatory Academy.
“Our teachers are often not supported as they seek to cultivate individuality and creativity in each of their students,” explains Koh Ming Wei. “Every child is unique, and every school learning garden is unique. A teacher training program centered around school learning gardens can be a wonderful, dynamic, and scientific way to engage students and contribute to a renewal of agricultural education in Hawaii.”
Visit http://kohalacenter.org/teachertraining/about.htmlhttp://kohalacenter.org/teachertraining/about.html for more information about Ku ‘Aina Pa.
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Rep. Mark Nakashima introduced House Bill 2093, which is intended to nurture the next generation of agricultural leaders and revitalize the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program in Hawaii. HB 2093 proposes to establish a Center for Agricultural Leadership at the University of Hawaii at Hilo to facilitate the links between local high school programs and the University of Hawaii system.
The center would increase the opportunities for agricultural education and boost efforts at strengthening agricultural career pathways as part of the overall effort to increasing sustainability in our state. “The legislation would also create a two year pilot program at one high school in each county to determine the steps necessary for a school farm to become food safety certified by the Department of Agriculture,” noted Nakashima. “Currently, food grown in school gardens and farms cannot be served in school cafeterias.”
The proposal recently passed the House and is being considered by the Senate Committees on Education and Agriculture on Monday, March 19, at 1:15 p.m.
To submit testimony or follow this measure, visit the updated Legislative website at www.capitol.hawaii.gov. For information or questions about this or other matters, call direct 974-4000, ext. 6-6680, or email repnakashima@capitol.hawaii.gov.
Carol Yurth’s column is published every Sunday and spotlights activities on the Hilo-Hamakua coast. She welcomes items for her column. Reach her by mail (46-1240 Kalehua Road, Honokaa HI 96727) at least 10 days before the requested publication date, call her at 775-7101, or e-mail waiukahe@interpac.net.