Ho‘okena Elementary School is the newest recipient of a five year grant through the USDA/UH-Manoa and 4-H umbrella called Sustainable Communities Project through Successful Community Partnerships.

Since October 2010, site facilitator April Qina along with principal Joyce Crisafi have focused on the 4-H initiative of Healthy Living primarily through creating a school garden. A Wednesday afterschool session began on November 17 which has been averaging 30 attendees, preschool through fifth grade. Students have been using container gardens as their primary growing technique as the terrain is very rocky.

So far we have an herb box (lemon grass, lemon balm, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, sage, chamomile, basil, and parsley), beans, peas, cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, yams, taro, and sunflowers….just to name a few.

We are hoping to continue expanding our green thumbs and getting to a point where we can provide produce not just for our students, but also for staff and community!