Kalihi Waena Elementary dedicates new Alanui ‘Ohana ‘Ālani learning space and walkway

25-Feb-2022

Proud Kalihi Waena Elementary students and staff held a special tree-planting ceremony to dedicate its new new Alanui ‘Ohana ‘Ālani learning space and walkway.

HONOLULU — Proud Kalihi Waena Elementary students and staff held a special tree-planting ceremony to dedicate a new walkway that provides a safe path and a unique learning environment for students walking to and from the Kalihi Stream-side of campus. 

Students planted 23 lemon trees along the new walkway named Alanui ‘Ohana ‘Ālani (Citrus Street) to create a new learning space focused on agriculture and the environment.

Each homeroom will be responsible for the maintenance of one tree and students will get to graft different varieties of citrus as the trees develop, including tangerine, tangelo, jabong, orange, calamansi, grapefruit and types of lemon and lime. Future learning events on how to harvest and process as well as sell or use the products made from the fruit will be planned as the trees flower and produce fruit for harvesting. 

“Alanui ‘Ohana ‘Ālani not only protects our students from the sun as they access our campus using the Kalihi Stream pedestrian bridge, but it also gives them a new avenue to learn about the environment, agriculture, growing cycles and economics,” Principal Daniel Larkin said. “These lessons will teach our keiki important academic skills as well as moral values of taking care of our ‘aina, our land. The 23 lemon trees will give our students hands-on lessons for generations to come and we cannot thank our community partners and volunteers enough for their support.”

Community contributors included the Honolulu Elks Lodge 616, Hawaii Masons Union BAC Local 1, HC&D, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and the Lemon Tree Project.

Contact Information

Communications Branch

Phone: 808-784-6200

Email: doeinfo@k12.hi.us

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