Kapa‘a, Kaua‘i —

By Kimberlee Stuart.

On September 6, the Hōkūle’a and Hikianalia crew visited Kapa’a High where upper classmen were anxious to ‘get in on the action’ after hearing great reports from the freshmen about their visits to the wa’a in Hanalei.  Crew introduced themselves and shared a bit about voyaging to the enrapt crowd who listened intently and then responded with lots of questions about the voyaging canoes and the World Wide Voyage. After watching the video “Hōkūle’a: Her Farthest Journey”, students were even more stimulated, made obvious by the pointed questions.  More than one student wanted to know, “How can I become a voyager?”

Miki Tomita meets with her UH Lab School class and Hikianalia crew at Kapa’a High

Officer DeBlake uses a radar gun to help students plot the garden

Over a ‘talk story’ session at lunch, Kapa’a teachers and crew discussed a bit about planning curriculum around the World Wide Voyage. Miki Tomita gave the group a glimpse into an online meeting between her UH Lab School students and crew members on the Hikianalia- a technology being tested for the World Wide Voyage.

Following lunch an Environmental Science and Physics class walked down with the crew to a planned “Malama Honua” garden area. On campus Officer Deblake met the crowd and using a novel radar gun technology rigged to measure and map the nearly one acre plot.  After a blessing the first plant, an ohia seedling, was lovingly planted by the class and crew under special guidance from crew member and agriculture guru Matt Kunimoto.

Kapa’a High Students plant their first seedling for the Malama Honua Garden

Kapa’a High students and staff plan to work on this garden with interdisciplinary lessons over the four year journey of the World Wide Voyage.  Their goal is for the school to do their part to malama honua and increase sustainability for both the school and the community.