Mana O Maui opens registration for free fall Surf-N-Turf afterschool program for Maui youth

Mana O Maui has opened registration for the fall season of Surf-N-Turf, a free afterschool program that takes Maui youth ages 11 to 17 surfing and hiking on four Wednesdays this September.

Sessions run Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30, from 1 to 5 p.m.  Participants are picked up at the Boys & Girls Club in Central Maui at 1 p.m. and at  ʻĪao School at 1:15 p.m., and dropped back at the Boys & Girls Club by 5 p.m. 

Depending on conditions, the group surfs at Ukumehame Beach Park or Guardrails, or hikes in ʻĪao Valley.

The program is free, and Mana O Maui provides transportation, surfboards, safety gear and food. Sessions are capped at 12 participants.

Mana O Maui founder Dustin Tester said: “This is our second session of Surf-N-Turf that we are offering this year, and we had such a  positive response from both the parents and the kids that we are thrilled to share that we are able to bring back the program. Getting these kids out in to nature, and going with the flow, and exploring all that is a short drive out of central Maui, its incredible what you can experience in just a few hours, and really make a difference in a young person’s life.

Registration is open at https://manaomaui.org/surfnturf. Space is  limited. Tax deductible donations are also accepted at https://manaomaui.org/donate

Mana O Maui was founded in 2023 by Dustin Tester, who also founded Maui Surfer Girls in 2001 and continues to run it. The organization’s programs use time in the ocean and the mountains to build confidence and resilience in young people, alongside learning about the places they visit and how to care for them.

Mana O Maui also has registration open for the Wahine Rite of Passage, a free overnight camping weekend in Haleakalā Crater for girls ages 13 to 17, on Oct. 3 and 4. Details are available online at: manaomaui.org/ritesofpassage.