Since 2020, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks team and its partners have delivered a highly successful Agriculture (Ag) Business and Technology Internship program, placing 179 Maui County high school and college students with host companies in the ag industry. The internship experience provides valuable work-based learning for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) students, who not only to gain technical skills but also have the chance to explore a new career pathway while working on real-world projects. The 2024 summer cohort of 25 interns recently wrapped up their 6-week program with a virtual showcase highlighting their experiences. This summer, STEMworks worked with 17 host companies on Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i to make these internships possible, and the interns’ projects covered everything from conservation to food production. Thanks to funding from the County of Maui, STEMworks is able to pay every intern a competitive stipend.
“This program allows students to obtain work-based learning experiences in different ag fields and shows them that there is a lot more to agriculture besides farming and ranching,” said Britney James, MEDB’s program manager for agriculture, education, and business development. One of the intern mentors, Korey Harris, co-owner and co-founder of Simple Roots, added, “It’s great for the younger generation to be working in any aspect of the agricultural field. It teaches about hard work, patience, and, most importantly, gratefulness.” Tyson Kongsil, Simple Roots intern from King Kekaulike High School, said, “As I shadowed Korey, I learned a lot about taking care of chickens, how to build a hen house, and what quality looks like in food production. I also learned about regenerative farming practices that enrich the soil to help maintain a healthier way of life for our community.” Grow Some Good (GSG) intern, tenth grader Keala Rodriguez, also shared, “Each day, I did a variety of tasks in the garden that included learning the different properties of plants and how to effectively grow and harvest them. I also enjoyed working with the kids at the YMCA GSG garden. We donated our harvest to them, so my project greatly impacted the community.” To read profiles of all the STEMworks summer interns and see updates about applying for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 cohorts, follow STEMworks on Facebook, facebook.com/STEMworksHI, and Instagram, instagram.com/stemworks/.
To keep Hawai‘i’s agricultural industries strong and sustainable, we need to engage our youth in experiential learning. They are our future leaders.
Britney James,
Program Manager for Agriculture, Education, and Business Development, MEDB
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is excited to host its annual Ke Alahele STEM Education Fund Benefit Dinner & Auction on October 26 at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui. This year’s event, themed “Pathways to Our Future,” will bring the community together to celebrate and support Maui County’s youth as they explore educational and career pathways in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The evening will begin at 4:30 pm with a reception, during which attendees can participate in the much-anticipated Apples for Education Silent Auction. Adding an element of fun and excitement, the evening will also feature MEDB’s signature STEM trivia game.
Throughout the evening, guests will be inspired by stories from local students who have been guided by MEDB’s comprehensive and free STEMworks educational programming, which includes afterschool activities, field trips, summer camps, and paid internships. These young innovators represent the future of Maui, showcasing the profound impact that community-supported education can have on their lives. Their achievements are a testament to the power of investments in STEM to create pathways that lead to success.
Proceeds from the event will directly support STEM programs, which provide Maui Nui students with opportunities from kindergarten to college and beyond. For more information on sponsorship opportunities and to make reservations, visit www.medbpathways.org.
Investing in STEM education is investing in our future. By equipping our youth with the skills and knowledge they need to face a wide range of challenges, we’re strengthening our community and ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for our islands.
The Japanese proverb, Ichi-go Ichi-e (literally, “one time, one meeting”), invites us totreasure the unrepeatable nature of a moment. That was the recent experience of Deidre Tegarden, Executive Director of Nisei Veterans Memorial Center (NVMC), who shared tea with the 101-year-old, fifteenth-generation Grand Master of Tea, Dr. Genshitsu Sen. He performed a special tea ceremony at the Wailuku Hongwanji to honor all who were lost during the August 2023 wildfires. It was both solemn and reflective as Dr. Sen presented tea to the altar. After the ceremony, attendees were invited to take tea and sweets in the community hall, hosted by Chado Urasenke Tenkokai Maui Association.
“Prior to the ceremony, Dr. Sen greeted members of the audience, shaking hands and sharing conversation,” said Tegarden. “We had planned to gift Dr. Sen a box of 3-D architectural hand-drawn blueprints of Urasenke Tea rooms from across Japan. These drawings had been gifted to the NVMC by the estate of the late artist Emi Fukuzawa, and we thought perhaps they belonged back in Japan with the Grand Master, Dr. Sen.”
When Dr. Sen saw the drawings, he became quite enthusiastic, pointing out names of his ancestors including one who helped to bring the tea ceremony to the greater community and make it accessible to those besides the nobility. The drawings date back 400 years and are considered National Treasures.
“Dr. Sen insisted that the NVMC keep these historical documents in our archive for posterity,” Tegarden noted. “It is our privilege to be the caretakers of these precious items.”
Chado, or “the way of tea,” is more than an artistic ceremony; it is a way of life with ethical and religious significance. The ideals underlying the way of tea are wa (harmony), kei (respect), sei (purity), and jaku (tranquility).
“The spirit of the way of tea has been imparted to people worldwide,” Tegarden added. “The expression, ‘peacefulness through a bowl of tea’ is the phrase that is used to express this goal. It is hoped that this knowledge will reach far and wide around the globe.”
How wonderful if the ideals of the way of tea might further contribute to the attainment of genuine world peace and happiness, the mutual goal of all humanity.
Deidre Tegarden,
Executive Director, Nisei Veterans Memorial Center
The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset recently featured Jenny Worth, Maui Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross, as their guest speaker to share information about the efforts of the Maui Red Cross since the 2023 wildfires. In her role, Worth educates families on emergency preparedness ahead of a crisis and responds to local disasters by providing comfort and emergency resources to people affected. She is also a resident of the West Maui community.
The Red Cross offered Immediate Assistance funds shortly after the wildfires to help with urgent needs like buying groceries, clothing, and other essentials. They have also delivered additional support through their Bridge Financial Assistance Program to many of the hardest-hit residents—those whose homes suffered major damage or were destroyed—as they seek to overcome significant recovery roadblocks and get back on their feet. As of February 8, 2024, the Red Cross has provided financial assistance totaling approximately $24.8 million, reaching thousands of people still reeling from the devastating fires.
“It’s our privilege and responsibility to give something back,” Worth said. “My work gives me incredible purpose, which was never more apparent than on August 8. Vivid memories surface when I remember the night of the wildfires—how my husband, a Red Cross volunteer, opened a shelter, and then as the fire burned closer, woke a local principal so they could move the shelter to a safer location at the school. We helped shelter hundreds of Lahaina residents, some of whom were brought in soaking wet after fleeing into the ocean to escape the flames.”
As the shelter filled up with a mix of locals and visitors, Worth saw her community turn out in force. Thousands of new volunteers signed up in the first two days to help their friends and neighbors. The Red Cross disaster teams and partners remain committed to ensuring families have a safe place to stay and receive compassionate and equitable care.
Reflecting on the outpouring of support, Worth explained, “It’s the concept of ‘kuleana,’ a Hawaiian word that translates as responsibility, but means so much more. It moves everyone to help.” She also shared a reminder: “The need for volunteers is always great.” For more information about how to get involved, visit https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html.
You won’t find another community that shows up like ours.
Jenny Worth
American Red Cross
Maui Disaster Program Manager
On the anniversary of the tragic 2023 wildfires, Maui Economic Development Board joins the Lahaina and Upcountry communities in expressing our grief and honoring the memory of the family members, neighbors, and friends we lost on August 8. MEDB remains committed to healing, community-led economic recovery, and long-term resilience as Maui Nui moves forward together.
