Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary School GEER Final Report

A group of senior students adopted and volunteered at the Pāhala senior garden since summer 2021. They cleared all brush, created new planting beds and trellises, and began growing vegetables. To date, they have committed over 150 hours of community service to the garden, and have extended the opportunity to other students to be a part of helping the Pāhala seniors. In total, during the course of the project, students have harvested and distributed over 350 pounds of food to the Pāhala senior citizens at the Pāhala Senior Center.

1. Students were released from classes on Fridays to volunteer for 1.5 hours. This was good because it didnʻt interfere with sports and other after school activities. They also had to have good grades, no absences or tardies, and get teacher permission as though they were on a “field trip.” This also allowed students who do not live in Pāhala and catch the bus home to be able to to participate. 
2. Students who live in Pāhala were more likely to participate because they live in the community and know a lot of the seniors they deliver vegetables to, including their own grandparents. They also came to help on a few Saturdays and could walk to the garden from their homes easily to help, so no transportation was needed.
3. We invited the Youth Challenges cadets to come and help volunteer on a Saturday and it was nice to work together with them on this project.

1. Pest control was a challenge, as we opened up a new free bug buffet in the middle of Pahala. We were able to use earth friendly pesticides to help control the pests, and some netting over the trellises. Students also planted some other plants for the bugs to eat. What is really needed is a greenhouse structure with netting over the area, but that will require a larger budget and more planning. 
2. Ag theft! Sadly, the garden has been hit by people who have helped themselves to the vegetables. The students were still able to harvest a lot of vegetables for senior citizens.

Students learned the importance of ʻohana and community. The biggest impact the project had on them was distributing the vegetables to the seniors. The aloha they felt made them feel very proud of themselves, and it gave them a more determined spirit to work hard to make the garden productive. Every time they delivered the vegetables, they were also able to talk story, listen to the kupuna share stories of the old days, how the kids would play, how they used to pick wild peaches all over the mauka areas, how they would eat everybody’s food, and more. The students really developed a strong bond with the kupuna, and it make them understand how important they are and how much they can positively impact their community. Although students were growing vegetables, in the big picture, this project is about growing leaders

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:  (OPTIONAL)
We had 2 students in the ICS101 course through Kauaʻi community college as part of this grant. (We had 24 total students do other early college courses during the year.