Kick of to the School Year

Nov 19

Written By Gabriel Grosshuesch

Highlights From Mālaʻai

We had a pancake breakfast in the garden on August 12th, hosted by Principal Janice English. Honoring and bringing together donors of our beloved middle school. 30+ guests.
Guest teacher, Lanakila Manguail, a local Hawaiian practitioner, taught all 76, 6th graders, about the Kumulipo (Hawaiian creation story) and Haloa, our eldest brother, the first taro. Students harvested taro and replanted the huli for next year's 6th graders. Taro is the 1st crop that 6th grade students eat from Mālaʻai. This has been a Mālaʻai tradition with Lanakila for the past 16 years!
Mālaʻai participated in the Waimea Resilency Fair. 800+ people attended this family friendly event. Mālaʻai partnered with UH CTAHR’S Marielle Hampton. 50 ‘uala (sweet potato) plants from Mālaʻai were given away as well as “ pots of crops” that keiki (children) planted on sight with Marrielle. It was a super fun day that introduced Mālaʻai and sustainability to many community members.
WMS alumni Kassie Tarpley is now a Waimea Elementary School 4th grade teacher! She brought her 4th grade students to the garden for a tour because she believes in the work we do and said it made a big impression on her as a student!
The After School Garden Club started in September. Over 40 students wanted to join. It is such a popular class that we have a wait list for next semester's class.
Guest chef Sandy Barr Rivera taught after school club students knife skills. They practiced their skills by slicing up a delicious veggie pasta salad.

Fun Mālaʻai Garden Facts

6 local community members volunteered over 90 hours of class time assistance. We couldn’t do what we do without their time and talents.
20 enthusiastic and talented community volunteers showed up for 2 garden work days. We are so grateful for their support.
400+ pounds of crops were grown and harvested by our students. Most of which was turned into delicious class snacks or taken home to students ohana (family).
250 pounds of fruit was donated by community members for garden snacks. Including star fruit, tangerines, bananas and jelly melons!
Mālaʻai is an inclusive learning garden that teaches all 210 Waimea Middle School students.

Mālaʻai Classes and Partnerships

Mālaʻai see’s all 6th,7th and 8th grade science students with their teacher.
P.E./Health classes - 6th, 7th and 8th grades, with their teacher Ms. Ho’opai.
Exploratory writing classes- 6th,7th and 8th grades, with their teacher Ms.Haight.
TECH classes- 6th,7th and 8th grades with their teach Ms. Onaka

The Boys to Men program meets in the garden's “Bamboo Peace Room”, every Thursday.
The Mentorship Program frequently uses the garden for one-on-one mentoring.
Mālaʻai partners with Marielle Hampton from UH CTAHR regularly.