Baldwin senior helps deliver 500 plants to Lahaina families through internship

Mahi Pono announced that Baldwin High School senior and summer intern Hailey Souza recently helped deliver more than 500 plants to Lahaina residents returning to newly rebuilt homes after the August 2023 wildfires.

Souza was one of seven Maui high school students in Mahi Pono’s six-week paid internship program, where interns learned plant propagation and community-focused agriculture. Together, the students propagated more than 1,000 plants with the goal of helping restore greenery and a sense of normalcy in wildfire-impacted neighborhoods.

“We are incredibly proud of Hailey and all of our student interns,” said Tiare Lawrence, Mahi Pono’s community relations director. “Their dedication and aloha reflect the values of caring for the land and each other. These efforts help restore not just gardens, but meaningful cultural connections within the community.”

The donated plants — including plumeria, tī leaf, crown flower and snake plants — were selected for their cultural significance, resilience and ease of care.

As part of her senior project, Souza has continued her propagation work beyond the internship. Over the summer, she collected ‘a‘ali‘i and milo seeds and is now working with Ethan Romanchak of Native Nursery to grow hundreds of additional ‘a‘ali‘i seedlings that will be donated to West Maui families.

“Delivering these plants to Lahaina families has been the most meaningful part of my internship,” Souza said. “Each plant represents renewal and hope. I wanted to give something that could grow alongside families as they rebuild.”

Mahi Pono says its internship program offers hands-on agricultural training, seed collection and field experience to help develop the next generation of Hawai‘i food-system leaders while also contributing to Maui’s long-term recovery and community resilience.

The company plans to expand the program and continue supporting plant propagation efforts for West Maui communities.