Charter school offers programs on agricultural land while awaiting permits to build new campus

In 2012, Connections Public Charter School that operates out of the historic Kress Building in downtown Hilo acquired 70 acres of land in the Kaʻūmana region of Hilo.

The original plan for the land, located on the corner of Kaʻūmana Drive and Edita Street, was to build a school for 381 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It would include a gym, cafeteria, library, dormitory for visiting students, caretaker’s residence and two parking lots with 140 stalls.

But in January 2022, the state Land Use Commission rejected the school’s permit request due to the way the expansion had been processed at the county level, which caused Connections Charter School to reassess its plans. 

While the charter school works on getting permits for a scaled-down version, it is using 15 of its acres, which are zoned agriculture, for experiential, hands-on education programs. The school also is trying to show their neighbors what they are trying to accomplish.

Before Connections submitted a new application with the county’s Planning Department for a special use permit, it hosted a community meeting in September at the Kress Building to try to quell fears and answer questions about their revised plans. 

Throughout the multi-year process, some neighbors living around the property in Kaʻūmana have opposed the building of a new school due to concerns about increased traffic, water availability and encroaching on the neighborhood’s quiet lifestyle.

“Many of the neighbors who were against us building are now with us, because they understand what we are trying to do here,” said John Thatcher, retired Connections principal and chairman of the Community Based Education Support Services, which is the school’s board.

“Many of them thought the dormitories were going to be built for kids to live in year-round, but we wanted them for visiting school groups,” he said. “We did let that go though because it was really something neighbors did not like.” 

The school plans to host an open house for the community in February “so the neighbors can see exactly what we’re doing and realize that our school is not big at all,” Connections principal Damon Murphy said. “This is not going to be like Hilo High moving over here.”

While they wait for the county to process the permit, Connections has been focused on utilizing temporary structures on the property for students to use during rain storms and for specific lessons.

A defunct bus is currently being renovated to accommodate 20 students and a group of high school students are participating in the design of a geodesic dome, which also can be used as a greenhouse.

“The students designing it are getting an inter-curriculum lesson that includes math, history, engineering and CTE [career and technical education],” Murphy said.

While they are on the property, high school students are working on a U.S. Department of Agriculture project that requires them to remove invasive plants and replace them with native trees. They also help younger students with their garden beds.

“Out here is a mindfulness classroom for the older kids,” Assistant Property Manager Lauren Loffer said. “It’s all hands-on and they’re learning skills on machinery, practices for garden bed maintenance. They’re weeding and pruning, which they enjoy.”

Some students start propagating seeds in the classroom, watch them grow, and then transplant them on the property.

“They truly take ownership over their plants,” Loffer said.

The plants that are grown on the property, such as bok choy, eggplant, papaya, lilikoi and sweet potato, are harvested and taken to the kitchen at Connections to be used in student meals. 

Hands-on experiences help the students learn how to work with the land and teach them the importance of local agriculture that will ultimately benefit their future, especially living on an island reliant on shipments. 

“Thinking of the property in 2012, it’s interesting to see how many people did not know how we would farm on this farmland that is all lava rock, but we’ve been using the mulch the county gives away for free and it’s been great,” Thatcher said. “Of course we run into problems, but I think our model also shows that there is so much potential farmland not being utilized.”

They want to instill in the students the honor of working as a farmer, and that they can make a business and decent living out of farming, Murphy said. 

Next week, Murphy will be meeting with O.K. Farms to discuss a potential student-to-intern pipeline that would help Connectionsʻ students get started in the industry. 

 “My biggest challenge coming from Houston was realizing that there aren’t as many paths for students to take after high school outside of college,” Murphy said. “Establishing an entrepreneurial program connected to agriculture is especially important, because it’s hard to get started and many don’t have the land or money set aside to do it on their own.”

The after-school program also focuses on entrepreneurship. Students learn about taxes and how to apply for grants.

“The USDA has so many grants out there that anyone can apply for, it was surprising for all of us,” Thatcher said.

Junior Keawe-Sam Cullio has done a lot of his curriculum at the Kaʻūmana property and recently finished building a chicken coop from pallets and wire, which will stay there after he graduates.

“I really like it up here, because it’s all hands-on life skills,” Cullio said. “It’s a great agricultural environment and there’s no drama. I can’t really sit at a computer all day and I’d always rather be outside. My aunty also likes that I’m up here. She says I stay out of trouble.”

When students are having issues with their mental or emotional health, Murphy usually gives them the option to come to the land, which is less than four miles away from the downtown Hilo campus, to get away from the noise and focus on healing.

“We have a lot of students with trauma and PTSD and they have done well up here,” Murphy said. “We have a horse and use equine therapy and working in the garden beds is also helpful.”

If granted the special use permit, the proposed campus would be developed in phases to complement their school’s elementary, middle school and high school facilities. The downtown location of the Kress Building is limited in space, presents traffic issues, and does not provide outdoor space for student activities.

“We hope the community knows we are not in a hurry,” Thatcher said. “We know these things take time. We want to be able to better serve our student body while also being a positive part of the entire community of Kaʻūmana.”