Aloha families! We are writing to you from the beautiful north shore of O’ahu. Earlier this week, we got to work with the University of Hawaii Maui College and learn about aquaponics and hydroponics. We also got to plant taro and harvest various vegetables. Though it was long days of work, it was nice to help the college and learn about how they help out in the community. On Wednesday, we packed up and said aloha to Maui and headed off to O’ahu. We settled into our new home at the YMCA Camp Erdman. The following day we spent the morning exploring the beautiful beach, spotting a sleeping monk seal, and working on our Capstone Passion Projects which we are ecstatic to share with you all. After lunch, we set off to the small rustic town of Honolulu. We spent the afternoon exploring Waikiki beach, shopping around town, and meeting the locals. For dinner, we went to “The Barefoot Beach Cafe” and listened to live music while watching the sunset. Friday, we worked with the North Shore Community Land Trust at Kahuku Point (the northern most point on the island). We learned about albatross and got to see chicks that live on the land. We also helped plant succulent plants, pulled weeds, and saw a mother monk seal and its pup on the beach! Saturday, we returned to the North Shore Community Land Trust in a different location called Waiale’e. We helped clean the plants out of the fish pond and planted native plants along the pond. We wrapped up our work day with a swim in the crystal clear waters and delicious corn chowder from our gracious partners. We are excited about the rest of our time on O’ahu and can’t wait to tell you all about it!