Honokaa High School agriculture students won a Malama Award honorable mention this year.
Honokaa High School agriculture students won a Malama Award honorable mention this year.
On May 15, Mayor Billy Kenoi wrote to the students, “Aloha, The County of Hawaii and the Kohala Center would like to thank you for your participation in the ‘Student Malama Award: Celebrating Student Leadership in Sustainability’ for 2012. The goal of this awards program is to highlight and celebrate student stewards of sustainability on Hawaii Island, and your project submission demonstrates your leadership in this important field.
“There were many outstanding student projects submitted, and we appreciate the time and effort you made to enter this program. Your project was nominated for ‘Honorable Mention’ within your category, and you will receive a certificate of participation… Have a successful end of the school year, and we look forward to your participation in next year’s Student Malama Awards. Mahalo.”
Honokaa High and Intermediate School’s ag program is a comprehensive Agriculture/Natural Resources Program. Manuel Jadulang is the current agriculture teacher. The program attributes a large part of its success to Nathan Kawashima, who worked at the school for over 25 years as the agriculture teacher. During that time the school developed an extensive program utilizing six greenhouses, an agriculture shop, a plant tissue culture lab, and aquaculture areas.
Jadulang has been working at the school since July 2007 and teaches student in grades 9-12. All Honokaa High School students are encouraged to take the first year Natural Resources Class. Advanced classes include horticulture, agricultural technology, agricultural science and aquaculture. All classes are electives.
Projects that students work on in the program include the following: maintaining the program’s golf course and ag program grounds (use of lawn equipment), herb garden, vegetable field crops, native plants, circulating and non-circulating hydroponics, aquaponics and working in the ag shop, maintaining farm equipment and small farm working. If you would like to volunteer for the program, contact Jadulang at manuel_jadulang@yahoo.com or call 775-8800, ext. 289.
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La‘au Wailea is a series of cultural workshops by the Hawaiian Civic Clubs of Hilo & Laupahoehoe being held today from 1 to 4 p.m. at Akiko’s Bed & Breakfast in Wailea. Aunty Ulu Garmon is coming and will be sharing cultural knowledge on natural order of balance; mo‘oku‘auhau (genealogy) and ho‘oponopono (making right/problem-solving).
There will be a local foods demonstration by the Civic Club right after the workshop. Please come to experience and enjoy. This is a free event made possible through a cultural grant and community collaborations. For information on the next event, email islandangel62@yahoo.com or call 989-5946.
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Honokaa Elementary students have been working for three months making a school garden under the guidance of Makua Lanakila Mangauil. Evidence of their hard work can be seen in before-and-after pictures.
Great appreciation goes to these willing workers whose hands have turned a tall weedy scrubby area into a place where nurturing will occur. The summer program continues the project as the planting starts.
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Ku Ikaika Stand Strong is a one-week summer course at the Honokaa Elementary School campus focused on healthy eating, active living, community building and self importance. This program is designed to keep participants active and healthy during the summer and offer another form of education through hands-on learning projects. There will be two sessions to chose from that will differ in specific projects.
Students who would like to participate in both sessions will be put on a waiting list for the second session to allow others to participate. For grades 2-8, Ku Ikaika is rooted and guided in the Hawaiian culture and its philosophies of kuleana, responsibilities to ourselves, our ohana, our communities and our environment.
For session one, June 4-8, register by June 2; session two, June 18-22, register by June 16. Lunch will be provided daily; cost is $50/session. Call or email to register: Lanakila Mangauil, 430-2898, or Aunty Noni McGraw, 339-5231, or email at kuikapono@yahoo.com.
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The Honomu School Reunion is going to be a happening event on July 1, especially highlighting Hideo (Manju) Ishigo, age 99. It will be at the Hilo ILWU Hall starting at 10 a.m. This non-alcohol event will be a visit down memory lane, with sharing of old photos and a renewing of friendships. A bento lunch is available for $10; make checks payable to Honomu School Reunion; lunch orders will be taken up until a week before the event. Donations are welcome. Please RSVP to Millie Morimoto, 46 Aloha Lani Dr., Hilo, HI 96720.
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.