Blog

An important aspect of the PQ model is staff development and the opportunity to learn and grow alongside our students.  Staff members recently participated in a company-wide training focused on Horticultural Therapy and Rites of Passage.  It was a great opportunity for the team to come together on our new farm property and have time to connect while …

Last week Pacific Quest staff members participated in a company-wide training focused on Horticultural Therapy and Rites of Passage.  It was a great opportunity for the team to come together on our new farm property and have time to connect while learning new skills and strategies to work with our students. The training began with …

Last month, Reed’s Bay students harvested 153 pounds of produce.  They enjoyed the fruits of their labor (literally), including eggplant, cabbage, bok choy, purple and green beans, taro, sweet potato, breadfruit, papaya, peppers, basil, and cilantro.  The group plucked oranges, tangerines and kumquats to marinade chicken and tofu, and livened up vegetables and salads with …

By:  Annette Nickontro, Kitchen Supervisor I’m so grateful for the grub we get to grow!  Summer is here and June’s harvest was no joke – 255 pounds worth of beautiful leafy greens, herbs and a huge chunk of weight coming from jackfruit and those white and yellow pineapples we’d been waiting for!  We cut, cooked …

By:  Isabel Holmes, Academic Coordinator This month Pacific Quest will host two company wide Horticultural Therapy trainings.  Last week, over 40 staff members gathered at Reed’s Bay for the first training.  We were able to utilize the full campus and make the most of our garden experiences for staff and the land. The day included …

By: Dara Downs, Alumni & Family Services Liaison In mid April of 2016 we started the Eat Local Initiative at our Young Adult Program at Reeds Bay.  This initiative was designed to help track the amount of produce being harvested, being cooked, as well as to help create motivation in the student milieu. It’s set …

By: Cynthia Albers, Admissions Coordinator There is an onslaught of advice, cautions, directives and warnings supposedly to guide us toward a healthy lifestyle.  So, what, exactly, does it mean to be healthy?  What does healthy feel like?  At Pacific Quest students are given the opportunity to ask themselves this same question and discern what that …

By:  Dara Downs, Alumni and Family Services Liaison Pacific Quest recently offered a Horticultural Therapy training for all staff members at our Young Adult campus at Reeds Bay.  This training was a unique experience where field managers came alongside field guides, and logistics staff worked side by side with nurses. Therapists and administrative staff traded …

By Kate Goodwin, Young Adult Wellness Medical Supervisor The tropical coconut is an incredible superfood with endless uses, especially in Polynesian cultures.  The Hawaiians used “Niu” or coconut for drink, food, thatching, hats, baskets, furniture, mats, cordage, clothing, charcoal, brooms, fans, ornaments, musical instruments, shampoo, containers, oil for fuel, light, ointments, soap and more. Traditionally, …

“Pacific quest changed my life; I realize now that nothing is impossible. With just some water and a seed I can create a whole ecosystem of life. Life at Pacific Quest helped me express my emotions in a positive way. Pacific Quest will change your life, too, if you just let it.” – Pacific Quest …