Ka‘ala Farm
TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS
22 students from 16 different countries
participated in the Huaka‘i Hawai‘i 2020 online course.
"This and the many discussions we had through the course inspired me to take action in my own personal life and commit to contributing to a more just and peaceful world.
Even though I learned a lot during those five weeks, the international aspect of the course was the most valuable to me. I connected with amazing people from all over the world with many different cultural backgrounds which nurtured my own international understanding.
I am really grateful for this transformational experience..."
—Ludmilla, Belgium
"Taking part in the Huaka‘i Hawai'i UWC short course last summer was my greatest honor. It was my only spark and achievement in 2020. I considered the short course as an escape from the grim year we all have been going through. I got to meet amazing people from four continents, and to discover an amazing island that I am looking forward to traveling to."
—Omar,
Morocco
"I really enjoyed the summer course. It gave me the opportunity to meet other people with similar interests as well as to learn about a culture very different from my own. Above all, it allowed me to think about my impact on the environment in ways I hadn’t considered before."
—Rachel, England
"I met a lot of other students who joined this course with me, although it was only through the screen but we really enjoyed each other."
"Although it was just a 5-week online course, it also made us eager to meet each other every week, sharing many things about the countríe which we live, smile and laugh together. Indeed in the current Covid-19 context it is difficult to attend a full course, but actually the Huaka‘i Hawai‘i Team has done a great job to help students get the best lessons and experiences. I am really happy to be able to take this course. Diversity, Sustainability and Happiness are the things I found from Huaka‘i Hawai‘i."
—Tuan,
Vietnam
35 students from 31 different countries
participated in the Huaka‘i Hawai‘i 2021 online course.
"The Huakaʻi Hawaiʻi UWC online course was a game-changer for me. It made me think about life and how some of the daily activities are not fully sustainable. It made me think and implement ways to make my life more sustainable. It showed that our ancestors were living more sustainable lives and we just have to follow and implement some of their ways in our day-to-day life to make the world a better and more sustainable place."
—Ahmad,
Pakistan
"I just wanted to say thank you so so much for the course! It was amazing.
In my hui, when asked good and bad points, we were all saying how we couldn’t find anything wrong with it and how amazing it was. It was such an amazing experience and the people were all so kind and interesting. It’s been great following them on Instagram over this past week, it’s given me new perspectives on global issues seeing what is happening in their countries. The variety of assignments given (podcasts, videos, articles) made it really interesting to learn too. I really appreciated all the zoom presentations with Kirsten and David, Parker, Dr. and Dr. Nattrass, Maria, and Joshua. I can’t wait to see everyone’s projects on Mighty Networks.
I have already started the process to apply for UWC schools next year. I had never heard of them before this course, they look amazing.
Anyway, THANK SO MUCH! I LOVED IT!
—Iñès,
France and Britain
"The ability to connect students from across the globe to discuss, appreciate, and learn about indigenous, Native Hawaiian, Pacific-Islander knowledge is a unique privilege. One strengthened by the excitement and positive interaction from the students.
Watching the students eager participation (some of whom stayed up until midnight to participate in the online course) and willingness to learn about indigenous practices and sustainability was a wonderful reminder of the strong leaders we will soon have.
It is with thanks to the tireless efforts of the Sol Center's founders and those who have dedicated their time to putting the program together that we get to help the next generation of leaders."
—Revere,
Hawaiʻi
"Huakaʻi Hawaiʻi was a wonderful experience. With engaging classes, after a one-hour lecture we were immersed by a one hour discussion about what we learned and how this applied in our reality with amazing students from all the world, with cultural backgrounds and an amount of perspectives that made the conversations and reflections super rich. Even online, we were able to create strong bonds with each other and our amazing moderators. I can't imagine how amazing this program will be in-person. Thank you so much for this amazing experience!"
—Mariana,
Brazil
57 students from 41 different countries
participated in the Huaka‘i Hawai‘i 2022 online course.
"I want to say these words from deepest of my heart: thank you very much. I learned a lot from and I am quite sure about transforming them to others like how to build a sustainable future."
—Quarban Al Hussein,
Afghanistan
"I particularly enjoyed our Hui (small) groups and the teaching method. The presentations were really fun and I enjoyed them a lot."
—Lily Kreiner,
Austria
"I really enjoyed meeting people from around the world and hearing new perspectives about environmental issues. I loved the part in which we learned about Hawai'i's culture because I really didn't know anything and it was very interesting."
—Asia,
Italy
"I wanted to thank you for this incredibly efficient and versatile short experience. Getting to know different amazing people from around the world was the best possible way to evaluate my summer. I am absolutely delighted for you to create this chance for me."
—Zeynep,
Turkey
