The School Curriculum offers a year of activity and discussion for grade 6 through 12
Harvest, Lū‘au, What are your plans?
Standard: Decision making and goal setting.
1. Objective: Explore careers related to kalo that may interest the student.
2. Objective: Understand how various careers influence our supply of kalo as food.
1. Kalo can be harvested if it was planted this past August or September.
2. Have a great lū‘au, party with your kupuna. Give thanks.
Can any students bring a papa ku‘i ‘ai (pounding board) and pōhaku (stones) to pound pa‘i‘ai (pounded taro, not yet diluted with water)?
3. Return to that list of students’ reactions to eating kalo done back in September. Do the haumana (students) have a greater appreciation of Hāloa now?
Kupuna Mary Kawena Pukui said 'that when the poi bowl was open there must be no quarreling, haggling, or arguing, for this would offend Hāloa who was present in the form of the poi. Eating around the poi bowl was a time for pleasant sociability, not argument.' From Native Planters In Old Hawaii, Their Life, Lore, and Environment., Page 81.
4. This section of the website is about the students and their future plans.
View farming as a career through this series of interviews in the video, Lessons From Experience, min. 5:27. By cornellsmallfarms. Link to Youtube.com. This video is part of a series by Cornell University Cooperative Extension Services.
5. Brainstorm on a whiteboard the students’ dream jobs. Ask them to get more specific about the qualities that make these careers interesting and exciting.
6. The development of this website grew from talking story with people in interesting careers. This section aims to introduce students to jobs and opportunities they may not have looked at before. Information includes estimated starting incomes.
A farmer is not paid a salary. He or she is an independent businessperson and his or her own boss. The farmer's income depends on producing a crop. A farmer may have thousands of dollars invested in land and machinery. Costs include property taxes, equipment maintenance, fuel costs, planting material, fertilizer, their personal health insurance, liability insurance, crop insurance, etc. He or she observes weather and the environment. From Payscale.com: $20,849 to $43,051.
A U.S. Peace Corps volunteer is invited by a foreign nation to facilitate development projects within a community, as a representative of the U.S. government. 2-3 year contract. Salary of a volunteer on Pohnpei, FSM (Micronesia) in year 1998: $4,380.
A botanist at a botanical garden studies plants and ecosystems. He or she protects culturally important varieties and educates the community. From Payscale.com: $32,124 - $66,623.
A school teacher encourages students to learn concepts and influence choices. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010. Starting, with a Ph.D. and state-approved teacher education program: $51,129 to $52,663.56.
A school chef balances health and nutrition expectations with students’ eating habits. For some students the chef provides their first meal of the day. From Payscale.com: Ave. $30,000 to $35,000.
An Agricultural Extension Agent advises farmers, businesses and government departments about food production and soil conditions. From Salaryexpert.com: Ave. $39,500.
An Agriculture and Botany Professor researches and teaches about crop production, soil chemistry and plant species. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $69,996 to $233,328.
A nutritionist and dietician with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) explores foods and performs community education. From U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: $59,390.
Restaurant chefs look at foods like kalo and see creative opportunities to present food to their customers. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010. From the Hawai‘i Employers Council: Average $52,797.
A website developer constructs a site’s framework and graphics. Skills include problem solving, artistic design, and knowledge of Web technology. From Payscale.com: $38,492 - $62,570.
Kamehameha Schools (K.S.) supported this website’s development. A K.S. trustee’s salary, year 2010. Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $87,300.
7. Here is an example of how partners in the community attempt to resolve challenges that face kalo, farmers and markets. In year 2008, the governor and state legislators approved Act 211 to fund a Taro Security and Purity Task Force. The task force’s 18 members included kalo farmers, educators and legislators.
Our community elects politicians to make decisions about our land, water and educational resources.
Governor. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $117,306
State legislators. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $46,273
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) trustees facilitated the task force. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $51,756
The task force identified challenges kalo farmers face:
Farming would be easier if shipping food was cheaper and faster. Trucker. From Payscale.com: Average, $52,000.
Cargo pilot. From Payscale.com: Average, $37,576 - $78,503
Farmers would have better business protection through more affordable liability, health and crop insurance.
An Insurance agent sells this protection in the form of policies. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $30,000 to $120,000
Farmers work with food distributors to meet our demand for kalo during busy seasons like high school graduation time.
Food distributor. From Payscale.com: $38,884 to $52,102.
9. Discuss how we get land for farming. Here in Hawai’i, the availability of farming land is influenced by the rulings of the Land Use Commission (LUC). Link to LUC website. The Commission is composed of nine members, who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. The Commission's role is to ensure that the state’s concerns are addressed when land use decisions are made. This includes zoning for agricultural lands.
Members come from careers that include:
Attorney. From U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: $95,190
Construction contractor. From Payscale.com: $63,607 to $103,147
Electrical contractor. From Payscale.com: $54,000 to $70,000
Certified public account. From Payscale.com: $48,274 to $71,482
10. Discuss how we get water for farming. Our access to fresh water is influenced by the Water Resource Management Commission (WRMC). Link to WRMC website. The Commission consists of seven members, five of whom are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State Senate. The remaining two are the Chairperson of the State Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the Director of the State Department of Health. The members are unpaid and serve a limited term.
Members come from careers that include:
Attorney. From U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: $95,190
Medical Physician. From Honolulu Magazine, Salaries, year 2010: $90,000 to $112,000
Former State of Hawaii Department Directors. From U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: $103,512
Former sugar company executive. From Payscale.com: $70,000 to $200,000
Water engineer. From Payscale.com: $44,974 to $68,235
The purpose of this information is to enable students to think about how different careers affect our food. We hope students might use this information to envision their own career possibilities.
