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By Mary Beth Osoro The road was windy. I knew where I wanted to be, but I wasn’t sure how to get there. I was afraid I would get lost, or miss my turn, or just get there so late, no one would be left to greet me. The scenery was beautiful, but I was …

Ka ‘Ohana O Honu’apo motto is three fold: malama ‘aina (care for the land), kupono (honesty) and kuleana (responsibility). The organization was formed to help steward the land at the old village site of Honu’apo (literally caught turtle) after the community banded together to raise monies to purchase the land to ensure it was not …

Miloli’i means fine twist. The fine twist refers to the intricate, strong cordage that Miloli’i was known for throughout the islands. Miloli’i Village is known today as the “last fishing village” on the island. Inhabited mostly by families who have lived there for generations and whom still sustain themselves through fishing. To really get a …

Mauna Kea, planet Earth’s tallest mountain (when measured from sea floor to summit) rises 13,796 feet above sea level. It is arguably the best place in the world to look at the stars. On Tuesday afternoon, Pacific Quest’s Malama students had the rare opportunity to don long-johns and winter hats, as they made the trip …

“Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park displays the results of 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution — processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with unique ecosystems, and a distinct human culture. The park highlights two of the world’s most active volcanoes, and offers insights on the birth of the …

Amy B Greenwell Ethnobotanical Gardens is a 15-acre stretch of land that was donated to the Bishop Museum by Amy Greenwell upon her death in 1974. Greenwell had been an avid archeologist and botanist who wanted to the community to have access to this rich land for generations to come. The Bishop Museum has since …

  One of the most influential people in my life is my 5th grade teacher Mr. Murphy.  Mr. Murphy did not impart any words of wisdom that I specifically remember, nor has all the knowledge he taught me stayed with me throughout the years—in 5th grade I could name all the states and the capitals, …

Today we journeyed to Manuka State Park. The park is located inside the 25,550 acre Manuka Forest Reserve on the slopes of Mauna Loa to the south west side of the island. The state park itself is access through the rolling lawns of an arboretum of native plats and trees. We began here, with a …

For many Pacific Quest students, the chance to grow and learn are best continued separate from their home environment. Students enroll in programs and schools around the country and the world. One of these special places is the Southern France Youth Institute in Villeseque sur Corbieres, France. In October, I visited this wonderful school as …

I recently read Gary Ferguson’s Shouting at the Sky.  While the book was originally published in 1999, I got my hands on Hilary’s 2009 copy, a signed copy replete with a new foreword and afterword.  Ferguson’s insights are incredible, as his words convey his personal experience working with teens in a wilderness therapy program.  His …