Our spring semester of neighbor island trips continued this week for the Class of 2030. Eighteen students, joined by Mr. Kanakanui, Mr. Ganiron, and Mrs. Hsia, enjoyed the past five days on Maui. The group stayed at the Made in Hope Center in Wailuku, a Christian retreat center dedicated to educating youth about their work with human trafficking survivors. During the week, students visited the Maui Nisei Veterans' Memorial Center and the popular Maui Ocean Center.

Service was an important component of the trip, and as students participated in service projects across the island, they could see the different community needs. The group shared songs and interacted with the kupuna of Maui Adult Day Care Center and the keiki of Kansha Preschool. Later that day, they spent a meaningful afternoon at Waiola Church in Lahaina, cleaning the cemetery grounds and witnessing the rebuilding process after the devastating wildfires in 2023. After catching a passenger ferry, the group served at the Lana'i Cat Sanctuary, helping to feed cats, paint cat houses, and scan microchips. Their last project took students to the Olowalu Valley to work on restoring the lo'i.

With a strong emphasis on teamwork and serving others during this trip, these 8th graders are well-prepared for their upcoming high school years. We look forward to them taking advantage of more travel opportunities and sharing God's love beyond our state!