Ever looked at an area of ʻāina and wondered what it would take to help it thrive?

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The answer begins with learning how to see.

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Led by Kaʻiana Runnels, this hands-on immersive invites you to step into the work of mahi ʻai and ʻike ʻāina at Kumuola Ma Uka. You’ll learn to observe closely, recognize relationships, use tools responsibly, and make decisions based on what the ʻāina is showing you.

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You won’t just learn about mālama ʻāina. You’ll take responsibility for a real place and make a contribution that matters.

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Working alongside an experienced mahiʻai and one another,

 

you’ll develop:

• Skills in kilo, observation, and interpreting ʻāina conditions

• Safe and appropriate use of mahi ʻai tools and practices

• A deeper understanding of the relationships connecting ʻāina, kānaka, and community

• The ability to identify an ʻāina-care need and design a thoughtful response

• Leadership through collaboration, decision-making, and shared responsibility

 

Using the ʻŌiwi Edge Innovation Process, your team will investigate a real challenge, propose a course of action, test your thinking through hands-on work, and revise your approach using evidence and expert feedback.

 

You’ll leave with:

• Practical experience in mahi ʻai and mālama ʻāina

• A completed contribution to Kumuola Ma Uka

• A record of your observations, decisions, and learning

• A stronger understanding of your own capacities as an ʻŌiwi leader

 

Your work will also help test emerging ʻāina competencies and shape how future haumāna learn through ʻāina across Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi.

Because leadership is not only about having a voice.

Sometimes, it begins by huli ka lima i lalo, putting your hands in the soil, and becoming responsible for what happens next.