Kupu Works with the Mālama Learning Center
Posted 02/20/22 at 13:50h in by Cassie Clark
SPOTLIGHT | My name is Karlee Eugenio; I was born and raised here on the island of O‘ahu. I earned my degree from UH Hilo in environmental science with a minor in geography. I’m currently in my 2nd year and my host site is Mālama Learning Center (MLC), which is a nonprofit that focuses on conservation through education and outreach. My day to day involves a broad mix of things with some involving nursery work and others involving restoration work at one of our three sites. On other days, we focus on school groups and preparing them for work days, which involve ensuring we teach them about the plants, their importance, their uses, and especially the importance of why they’re still around. My favorite part about this term is working with the youth in Hawai‘i. I love being able to share what I know and teaching them about our unique ecosystems. I also enjoy collaborating with educators in our Wai Huihia workshops that we host; in these we work with educators in our community who integrate the outside (like conservation work and traditional ecological knowledge). Learning alongside these educators to see how we can improve our approach to educating and impacting the hearts of youth is something that I honestly love about what I do in this position. I always knew I wanted to be a part of something that is much larger than myself and the realm of both education and conservation were the ones that called my name.
Once I complete my term, I aspire to be a high school teacher working with Hawai‘i’s youth and integrating education with the environment because we are a part of the environment whether we know it or not, and helping students realize that fact can help empower them to make a huge difference in our future. Since educators have the power to help shape the future unseen, that’s an amazing fact in itself. Mahalo to Kupu for the opportunity in both years with MLC and the North Shore Community Land Trust. I know that this work can be difficult but I think Hawaii has such a bright future ahead with all those making changes in the way they teach, the techniques to planting, and the conversations, connections, and relationships that are fostered.
Kupu
Kupu, which means “to sprout” or “to grow”in Hawaiian, has a two-fold mission: to preserve the land while empowering youth. The organization provides hands-on training in conservation, sustainability, and environmental education for young adults, with the goal of fostering our next generation of environmental and cultural stewards. Kupu’s work has been likened to the role of the Kupukupu Fern which is one of the first plants to cultivate the land after a lava flow. The fern not only serves as a foundational species for rebuilding a healthy, native ecosystem, but it also symbolizes a place where knowledge can grow.
Established in 2007 as a Honolulu-based 501(c)3 non-profit, Kupu affirms the Hawaiian notion of “ma ka hana ka ʻike” or “in working one learns.” This approach has led to the creation of hundreds of internships and service-learning opportunities which blend vocational training and green leadership development to support more than 100 partner sites across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. For more information please visit: www.kupuhawaii.org. Mahalo.
