MOLOA‘A — The lush Moloa‘a forests were filled with the sounds of chants and gardening tools Wednesday as students from Kanuikapono Charter School planted a row of native plants along a hilltop overlooking the bay. “We want to give them hands-on
MOLOA‘A — The lush Moloa‘a forests were filled with the sounds of chants and gardening tools Wednesday as students from Kanuikapono Charter School planted a row of native plants along a hilltop overlooking the bay.
“We want to give them hands-on experience, understand sustainable living and help refurbish our forests,” said Shelby Dabin, Kanuikapono Charter School second-grade teacher. “The hands-on experience — the life experience — is what the kids are going to remember — not the book and paper work.”
Thirty-one first- and second-graders spent most of the day learning about layers of the forest and native plants through a series of interactive games and activities on a field trip to Retro Farms.
It is one of the ways the nonprofit is increasing its message of environmental stewardship and sustainable living through its fledgling Mighty Seed Learning Facility program.
The children, she said, have become a vital part in Retro Farms’ effort to create and bolster its vast sections of gardens that span 10-acres of land, including native hedges, milo, mahogany, foxtails, mangoes and avocados.
“We’re trying to … open their eyes to the beauty of nature and show them that there’s more to this world than video games and shopping malls,” said Mary Ellen Houston, who founded the North Shore organization along Moloa‘a Road nearly three years ago with husband Aaron Houston. “We want to instill pride of the land in them and hopefully they will learn how to respect the ‘aina more and take care of it.”
In all, Mary Ellen Houston said several schools and organizations, including Kaua‘i Christian Academy, Kilauea Elementary School, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kapa‘a and Lihu‘e, and Boys and Girls Club Kaua‘i, have made at least one visit to the site.
During each of their three visits over the last three years, students from Kanuikapono Charter School have planted varieties of indigenous and endemic plants, including ‘a‘ali‘i, ‘ulei, akia and koki‘o.
“We’re planting one section at a time and the children are helping us to that,” Mary Ellen Houston said. “If you take a look at the native gardens, they’re thriving right now and doing really, really well, so the children are helping us make the island better.”
• Darin Moriki, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 or dmoriki@thegardenisland.com.
