Blog

By Lori Armbruster, Communications Director In the Hawaiian culture, the word “Ohana” means family, which can be blood-related, adoptive or intentional. The concept emphasizes that families are bound together and members must cooperate and remember one another. When a young person enters Pacific Quest, they become part of a larger Ohana. As they discover the …

By McLean Eames, Experiential Education Supervisor Recently, the Young Adult students drove to the easternmost point of the island, Kumukahi and saw the lighthouse there.  The group talked about the Winter Solstice and how it’s a transition point for our planet; a time when the days start to grow longer.  The group then ventured to …

By McLean Eames, Experiential Education Supervisor Recently, a group of the young adult students traveled 60 miles South, over the Kilauea volcano, to the district of Ka’u to join the community and help with a big service project at Punalu’u Beach. Punalu’u means “diving spring” in Hawaiian, and the place gets its name from the …

By Travis Slagle, Horticulture Therapy Director To love the land is the oldest and most essential way of life in Hawaii.  The people who care deeply for the land know what it means to be “pono” (to have integrity); they respect the ancestors by continuing their work, by planting the seeds, cultivating the “kalo” (taro), …

Today the Ohana went to the Volcano Art Center (VAC). The VAC is a nonprofit educational organization located in and around Hawaii Volcano National Park. Their mission is to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawaii’s people and environment through activities in the visual, literary, and performing arts. The Ohana had …

The second Saturday of every month Pacific Quest puts on their work gloves and heads off the farm over to the Naohuleua Historical Garden.  Students volunteer to work with Ka’u Main Street in an effort to keep the native garden blooming. Ka’u Main street is a Non-profit organization that was formed in 1991 to protect …

Last Saturday the Ohana group participated in a community service project at Punaluu Beach Park.  Punaluu is one of the largest black sand beaches on the Big Island of Hawaii and is located about 30 minutes from the PQ campus.  It is most famously known for the green sea turtles that come to rest and …

Our mission today was to help out with the Niaulani Forest Work Day. The four-acre forest at Niaulani is located in a remnant of old-growth rain forest dominated by tall, large-diameter ‘ohi’a trees, some over 65 feet tall. Many species of native plants populate the forest understory at Niaulani, including the rare meu tree fern. …

The malama group woke up bright and early today to head down to Punalu’u to lend our hand in helping to organize and set-up for the 2nd Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament. This is a community event that was taking place near Pacific Quest and offered a perfect opportunity for us to support both the people …

The Kaiholena preserve of the Nature Conservancy is located mauka of our camps here on the Big Island. Today we had the opportunity to head up to this preserve where we helped the people who care for the native forest there move lumber to clear some work that will be happening to create a sleeping …