Malamalama Waldorf School Special Event

Hawaii Environmental Restoration enjoyed a special restoration event with a group of 14 Malamalama Waldorf class grade 7- 8 students this week! Teacher, Karen Rose Jenkins and her supporters, Kalia Avery and Marcus Lage, along with our weekly crew, conducted several hours of restoration work together, totalling 51 volunteer hours between 17 volunteers. We divided up into 3 groups of 7, and were able to observe social distancing within the spacious forest environment. It did not take away the joy of being together working toward the important cause of preserving Keau’ohana.

The upper west loop was cleared of clidemia and erichtites along with other secondary weeds. Large compost piles showed evidence of enthusiastic hard working forest helpers. As we introduced ourselves, I asked the students to share with us, why the forest was important to them/or to humanity, and our crew was deeply touched by their willingness to speak from the heart and their amazing level of knowledge. We then gathered at the ahu; the students of Malamalama were also well versed in Hawaiian protocol. Both E Ho Mai and Na Aumakua were offered by all; this added to the power of the experience and the learning.