Mālama 'Āina Foundation

Spring ʻOhana Night 2026

At Spring ʻOhana Night, students share their Semester 2 learning with families and guests through interactive stations and presentations.

Waʻa – Students shared their experience aboard the waʻa kaulua with Kapena Kiko and taught guests about the different parts of the waʻa.
Huaka’i – Haumāna reflected on how the Kona Low impacted their spring break plans while sharing what they learned about kapa making with Puakea Forester and the Hawaiian martial art of lua with Kuialuaopuna.
Kalo & Maiʻa – Guests learned about the parts of these important plants and were invited to kui kalo using kalo harvested during their visit to OK Farms ECO Experiences.
The Moʻolelo of Hinaikeahi & Hinakuluua – Through stop-motion animation, students shared the legend of Hinaikeahi and Hinakuluʻua, exploring its relationship to the imu and its connections to waterways in the Hilo area.

Mahalo to our host sites, sponsors and everyone who joined us in celebrating the hard work, ʻike, and growth of our haumāna this semester. We are proud of all they have accomplished and grateful to our ʻohana and community for supporting their learning journey.

🥬🍅 Mahalo nui to Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne for generously providing the funds to purchase our Mahope Program’s 2026 Spring ʻOhana Night produce boxes, and mahalo nui to and Frank Foods for supplying these beautiful veggies and whole roaster chickens for our haumāna and their families!

✨Wednesday’s are for Huaka’i! 🤩

Three sites, three programs, one shared purpose: empower haumāna to be grounded in their identity and heritage, transform mindsets and foster healthy communities 🌱

🌱 Creative Vibes, Mālama ʻĀina Foundation’s after-school program in Kohala, on Hawai‘i Island, recently visited the Hawai‘i Beekeepers Legacy Exhibit at Anna Ranch Heritage Center in Waimea.

The exhibit explores the deep relationship between bees and agriculture in Hawai‘i, highlighting the history of organized beekeeping in the islands, its connection to Hawaiʻi’s ranching and agricultural heritage, and the essential role bees play in food production, pollination, and the health of island ecosystems.

Through photos, hands-on displays, storytelling, and a short documentary, students discovered how something as small as bees can have a powerful impact on Hawai‘i’s land and food systems.

How can you support bees?
You can help by purchasing local honey to support Hawai‘i’s beekeepers and by planting bee-friendly flowering plants in your garden to provide food and habitat for pollinators.

Quarter 1 Wrap-Up 🌱 January to March 2026

Hoʻokumu: Beginning with Purpose

From the end of 2025 to the beginning of April 2026, together with DOE, County of Hawaiʻi, Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne, and our extraordinary partners, we brought Ho‘ākea Mauka to Makai to East Hawaiʻi - bringing learning to life for over 3701 haumāna across Kaʻū–Keaʻau–Pāhoa and Hilo–Waiākea area complexes. Through hands-on, place-based experiences, students strengthened their connections to ʻāina, waʻa, culture, and community.

Highlights:
• Kalo & Maiʻa – Haumāna learned Mo’olelo around the kalo and mai’a and explored the many uses of these canoe plants through cooking, and kuʻi kalo into paʻiʻai and poi.

• ʻIke Hawaiʻi + Science – Q3 in-class learning connected ʻike kūpuna with modern science, as students explored sustainability, ecosystem dynamics, and pono lawaiʻa through hands-on investigations, data, and problem-solving

• Mālama ʻĀina in Action – At Kahikina Learning Center, students planted ROD-resistant ʻōhiʻa, learning life cycles and kilo practices while contributing to the future health of Hawaiʻi’s forests

• Mālama Mau – Support for Lāhainā Intermediate school uplifted both haumāna and kumu, providing stability, care, and opportunities for connection through ʻāina-based learning during ongoing recovery

From classroom to coastline, this quarter reflected the power of culturally grounded, place-based education to inspire the next generation of leaders and stewards.

Mahalo to our partners, educators, host sites, and communities for making Quarter 1 meaningful and impactful as we continue to grow the next generation of leaders, stewards, and storytellers of Hawaiʻi.

🌱 Quarter 3 Wrap-Up | January–March 2026
HŌʻOKUMU — Beginning with Purpose

This past quarter, together with DOE, County of Hawaiʻi, Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne, and our extraordinary partners, we brought Ho‘ākea Mauka to Makai to East Hawaiʻi—bringing learning to life for 3,701 haumāna across Kaʻū–Keaʻau–Pāhoa and Hilo–Waiākea. Through hands-on, place-based experiences, students strengthened their connections to ʻāina, waʻa, culture, and community.
Quarter 3 Highlights:
• Kalo & Maiʻa in Practice – Haumāna explored the many uses of kalo and maiʻa through cooking, kuʻi kalo into paʻiʻai and poi, and sharing moʻolelo through art and storytelling.
• ʻIke Hawaiʻi + Science – In-class learning connected ʻike kūpuna with modern science, as students explored sustainability, ecosystem dynamics, and pono lawaiʻa through hands-on investigations, data, and problem-solving
• Mālama ʻĀina in Action – At Kahikina Learning Center, students planted ROD-resistant ʻōhiʻa, learning life cycles and kilo practices while contributing to the future health of Hawaiʻi’s forests
• Mālama Mau – Continued support for Lāhainā Intermediate uplifted both haumāna and kumu, providing stability, care, and opportunities for connection through ʻāina-based learning during ongoing recovery
From classroom to coastline, this quarter reflected the power of culturally grounded, place-based education to inspire the next generation of leaders and stewards.
Mahalo to our partners, educators, host sites, and communities for making Quarter 3 meaningful and impactful as we continue to grow the next generation of leaders, stewards, and storytellers of Hawaiʻi.

Haumāna placing their mana upon Kiakahi—awakening her to share her ʻike.

Auē Ua Hiti E 🌊

“Auē Ua Hiti” — to rise, to appear.
Like the stars that guide us, it is ʻike revealed when we are aligned.

Chanted before voyage, it reminds us:
we are not separate from the ocean, the sky, or each other.

At Hoʻākea, this is the work — helping our keiki see what is rising within them.

Aue Ua hiti e.

🗣️ Lā ʻOhana is tomorrow! E hele mai!

📍Grand Naniloa Resort
⏰ 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

🛶 Explore the many waʻa that will be on site.
🛶 Discover related maritime careers.
🛶 Connect with ʻike, culture, and community through hands-on experiences.