#Hāleakalā Ranch

With the average age of Hawaiʻi farm producers at 60.7 years in 2022, many groups in Maui County are offering programs to attract young people to the farming profession.

Imagine an outdoor classroom on the green grassy slope of a volcano, where the teacher is on horseback, and the students are learning about the soil, water and plants around them. This imaginary classroom is real—it comes to life once a year during the “Agriculture in the Classroom” Field Trip, an annual educational event put on by Maui County Farm Bureau.

Ahupua‘a Stewards helps high school students on Maui develop and implement environmental decisions informed by ahupua‘a systems. The summer session runs from June 11-July 18, 2024, with in-person classes at the UHMC Kahului campus and field trips to HILT lands and conservation partner sites on Maui, including the Keālia National Wildlife Refuge, Haleakalā Ranch, East Maui Watershed Partnership and The Nature Conservancy. Students meet Tuesdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Central Pacific Financial Corp., the parent company of Central Pacific Bank, has appointed Robert Nobriga, effective Jan. 1, as a member of its board of directors for both companies.