Living Pono Project

Kupa'aina Explorations Program: This progam allows sudents to participate in cultural activities outside of the school setting. We assist students in developing cultural values and awareness of Hawaiian culture. Cultural activities include traditional Hawaiian chants, crafts, native plant uses, wayfinding and navigation, paddling, legends, ku'i kalo and many more activities. This program explores the importance of the Ahupua'a system; sustainability, kuleana, and how this system can be modeled today.

Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve: Provides employment to vulnerable populations and education opportunities based in cultural stewardship and watershed protection. These programs demonstrate the connectivity between the natural world and the Hawaiian perspective of aloha'aina (ove and stewardship for land). Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve is an excellent resource for environmental education and provides a multitude of "hands on" learning spaces where humana (learners) can see, touch, and be emersed in ecosystem processes first hand. This intac ahupua'a and larger moku complex showcases the dynamic interactions of different ecosystems within ahupua'a, as well as potential impacts that global warming may have on a community.

Living Pono Plantation: The purpose for establishing the Living Pono Plantation is three fold: First, we seek to employ adults with disabilities within the Green Industry at a fair wage while providing them a unique opportunity to learn and gain life skills through a positive and fun alternative work experience. Secondly, by integratiing several sustainable agricultural practices, we will be providing Hawaii consumers with several alternatives to conventionally grown crops from teh mainland as well as healing our 'aina. Lastly, this system can be an invaluble teaching tool for students to learn about sustainability, a modern working ahupua'a, and to develop a curriculum that is relevant to real world applications.