DECEMBER 3RD, 2021

GRATITUDE

Aloha,

After what was hopefully a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving for all, we now have only two weeks remaining in the semester. As we approach semester two, a friendly reminder regarding our middle and high school Impact Term (I-Term) dates for this school year: I-Term is currently scheduled for March 7–11, the week prior to spring break. Please keep these dates in mind if you may be planning travel for your families in the spring. I-Term is an integral part of LJA’s mission to provide extraordinary learning experiences and facilitate opportunities for positive impact on local and global communities. As such, all students are expected to participate. The official high school course catalog for I-Term 2022 will be released (at ljaimpact.org) in January. In the meantime, you can view last year’s catalog for an idea of the types of courses that may be offered.

If you have any inquiries about I-Term (or any other component of our Impact programs), please feel free to contact our Dean of Experiential Education and Community Partnerships, Christina Hoe, at christina.hoe@lejardinacademy.org.

Lastly, with the holiday season in full swing, take a moment (or several!) each day to share an appreciation. Choose kindness always, and intentionally make an impact that will strengthen our community.

Mahalo for your support!

David Hays, Experiential Education Intern, Class of 2022

Kawainui Corner

Keeping with the spirit of gratitude, we would like to express our greatest appreciations for Ka'ai Sempio, LJA’s Hawaiian Cultural Consultant. Despite a quiet couple of weeks at our Kawainui work sites, Kumu Ka'ai worked incredibly hard to organize Makahiki games for our lower schoolers. Especially during the busy holiday season, Kumu Ka'ai’s dedication to our students is an inspiration, and we are always grateful for her passionate contributions to our community.

Featured Impact Project: KAHANAIKI

As introduced in our last newsletter, the Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has granted LJA right-of-use to Kahanaiki, the protected lands across from our main campus. Led by our Impact Mentors, faculty advisors, and student leads, LJA students visit Kahanaiki every week to maintain and preserve the natural resources at the special site. This week, we highlight an Impact Mentor and a student lead who help enable this valuable work.

Impact MENTOR SPOTLIGHT: MITCHELL HASHIMOTO

LJA alumnus Mitchell Hashimoto serves as one of two Impact Mentors at Kahanaiki. A lead guide in our after school Wild Kids program and on summer Wild Kids backpacking trips in Montana, Mitchell has been involved with the organization since 2012. After graduating from LJA in 2016, Mitchell’s passion for environmental stewardship inspired him to pursue an undergraduate degree at the University of Hawaii. He graduated from the Natural Resources & Environmental Management (NREM) program last year and is currently on track toward a Master’s in environmental policy and economics. His current research is focused on investigating the extent to which environmental education affects multigenerational perspectives on environmental issues. After graduating, he plans to go to law school with the goal of working in environmental law. In addition to his scholastic pursuits and work for our Impact Programs, Mitchell has also co-founded — with fellow LJA alumnus Aidan Riehl — Ecoternatives, a company focused on making and selling sustainably-sourced home essentials. On what he loves most about Kahanaiki, Mitchell explains, “it’s all about building that personal connection with the students I’m mentoring and being there for my community.” Mitchell speaks highly of LJA’s commitment to its Impact programs, citing it as yet another example of how LJA is demonstrating its commitment to being a leader in education. “I wasn’t always the best student in high school, but I was able to thrive because of programs like Wild Kids. LJA has really committed to the idea that you’re not going to school just to go to school; you’re learning about yourself, you’re learning about your community, and you’re learning about the world.”

STUDENT LEAD SPOTLIGHT: ANIKA BOYDEN

High school senior Anika Boyden is a Wild Kids Stewardship Council member and a critical student lead at Kahanaiki, dedicating hours of her time to guide younger students in conservation efforts at the site. Anika moved to Hawaii from the mountains of Utah two years ago, and she recounts how she has always been passionate about exploring and immersing herself in nature and doing fun things outside with friends. When she first arrived at LJA, Anika was impressed by the wealth of environmental education programs available, a concept completely new to her. She became a part of the first student group to break ground at the Kahanaiki work site, and she credits her work there to developing her knowledge of Hawaiian culture. Anika also recognizes work at Kahanaiki as a source of social-emotional learning, sharing: “Your self-confidence really just improves through being at the site because you get to connect to the land and see the fruits of your labor. It’s been the perfect place to become a mentor for others, have mentors myself, and just connect with my peers outside of a traditional school environment.” As for plans after high school, Anika plans to study renewable energy technologies in college, and she has her sights set on Georgetown University as her “dream school.” Anika is passionate about reducing society’s dependence on fossil fuels, and wants to be a part of the solution. Thank you Anika for your commitment to Impact!