As more than 250 students from 24 high schools across the state gathered to participate in this year’s Future Farmers of America convention on Oʻahu, the Urban Garden Center proved a key resource in the event. The youths visited UGC and took part in fast-paced educational activities around the facility. With their teachers, the students got their hands dirty restarting a static hydroponic system, harvesting locally grown fruits and veggies in raised beds, and transplanting succulents.

You might associate drones with the inescapable sound of buzzing you hear when you’re relaxing at the beach or hiking up Koko Crater, but soon, you might also begin hearing the hum of drones over Hawaiʻi’s farmlands. Last month, CTAHR Extension agents held a seminar at the Urban Garden Center discussing the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, in agriculture as part of UGCʻs “Extension: Ground Support” series. 

The Bee House at the CTAHR Maui Extension Office is making a triumphant return after a three-year-long hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Led by 4-H Youth Development Agent Nancy Ooki and Master Gardener Coordinator and Beekeeper Eric Demaria, the project seeks to teach youths about the importance of bees to Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems. 

Congrats to Debbie Wong of the Dean’s office and Teri Sunada of HR, who were recently recognized as UHM-azing for a job well done! Both received a Staff Shaka from the UHM Staff Senate, with accompanying words of appreciation and gratitude for their contributions.

Health education has reached new levels of accessibility. Former PhD student in Human Nutrition, Chloe Lozano, was recently awarded a two-year, $225K USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Postdoctoral Fellowship. Chloe is working toward personalizing the health app PortionSize Ed, originally created in Louisiana, for youth in Hawai’i. The app tracks food and calorie intake specific to individuals and includes educational videos.