Aloha Grown “Malama Honua Fund” Awards Five (5) Big Island Schools and Organizations

Aloha Grown “Malama Honua Fund” Awards Five (5) Big Island Schools and Organizations

On Wednesday, June 28, 2017, five (5) Big Island schools and organizations were presented with a 2017 Aloha Grown Malama Honua Award. Each organization received a $500 award to put towards a specific project or program that embodies Aloha Grown’s philosophy to ‘Support Local, Sustain the Aina & Share the Aloha.’

“Here at Aloha Grown, we are committed to supporting efforts to care for our island, our people and our culture,” said Randy Kurohara, President and Owner of Aloha Grown. “That is why 2% of every Aloha Grown sale goes to our Malama Honua Fund, which annually awards local nonprofits, schools, organizations and initiatives that embody our philosophy. This year we received a number of applications and essays from many well-deserving organizations.”

Parker Ranch Store Manager Camille Kalahiki noted, “it was inspiring to see how many organizations are committed to sustainability efforts in our Big Island communities.”

The Malama Honua Fund award application process included a one-page essay explaining how the organization follows Aloha Grown’s philosophy, as well as a description of the project/program that the $500 award would be used to fund. All essays were thoroughly reviewed by an Aloha Grown selection committee.

Congratulations to the 2017 Malama Honua Award Winners! We applaud you for your dedication to sustainability efforts on the Big Island!

  • –  Parker School & Waimea Elementary School – “Kihapai Ho`oulu” Project
  • –  Kohala Youth Ranch – “Equine-Assisted Therapy” Program
  • –  Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School – “Farm to School”Program Hydroponics & Aquaponics Systems
  • –  Volcano School of Arts and Sciences – “Kalo Garden” Project
  • –  Na Wai Ola Public Charter School – “Third Grade Composting” ProjectFor more information on Aloha Grown, visit www.alohagrown.com

3 days ago

Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School
Aloha kākou! We are currently hiring and seeking well-qualified candidates to join our team immediately.View our available positions here: Nā Wai Ola PCS Career Opportunities nawaiolapcs.org/contact/career-opportunities/If you are interested, please submit your cover letter and resume to hr@nawaiolapcs.org. Mahalo! ... See MoreSee Less
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Aloha e nā ʻohana o Nā Wai Ola,We are proud to share exciting and historic news for our school community.Today, May 28, 2026, the Hawaiʻi State Public Charter School Commission met and unanimously approved Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School’s expansion to serve grades Kindergarten through 12.This milestone means that Nā Wai Ola will grow into a full K–12 learning institution through a thoughtful, phased approach:Grade 9: School Year 2026–2027Grade 10: School Year 2027–2028Grade 11: School Year 2028–2029Grade 12: School Year 2029–2030The Commission recognized our newly designed Project-Based Learning (PBL) educational program as both robust and rigorous, noting its strong alignment with our mission, vision, and commitment to Hawaiian culture-based education. This affirmation reflects the deep and intentional work of our kumu and staff in designing meaningful, engaging, and academically challenging learning experiences for our haumāna.We are especially excited about the work already underway to prepare for this next phase. Our educational team is actively building and refining our schoolwide PBL program to ensure it enhances student learning, strengthens outcomes, and reflects who we are as a school community.In addition, we have begun coordination with our partners at the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, including the Complex Area Superintendent, as well as leadership from Keaʻau High School and the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF). Through these collaborations, we are working to ensure that our future high school students will have access to athletics and extracurricular opportunities through Keaʻau High School.This achievement reflects the collective commitment, dedication, and belief of our entire community—our haumāna, ʻohana, kumu, staff, and board. It is a direct result of our shared vision to provide a high-quality, culturally grounded education rooted in ʻike Hawaiʻi and delivered through a dynamic PBL approach.This success belongs to all of us.As we move forward, we remain committed to working collaboratively to ensure that every student is supported, challenged, and inspired—now and into the future.Mahalo nui loa for your continued trust, support, and partnership.Interested in enrollment for school year 2026-2027? Click the link: nawaiolapcs.org/ohana/enrollment/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School
Aloha kākou!Are you still considering where to send your keiki for middle school for the 2026 - 2027 school year? Nā Wai Ola PCS still has a few more spaces available for grades 6 - 8. We also have a few spots available for grade 9 high school. Contact us at (808) 968-2318 or office@nawaiolapcs.com. ... See MoreSee Less
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