High Road Scholars, in conjunction with the Akahiao Nature Institute and Donkey Mill Art Center, invite you to a Tropical Winter Odyssey exploring the nature of you in Kona, Hawaii.
This immersive program includes
A stay on a 3-acre organic permaculture farm, a verdant oasis of culinary plants
An earth stewardship service-learning experience, reverently restoring and tending to the land of Hawai‘i
Syncopating spirits through authentically Hawaiian talk story, lei making, herbalism, and respectful travel through the contoured landscapes of Kona
Donning the hat of farmer-chef as we collectively create meals from a stunning "garden of eating"
More details below ↓
Dates: February 14-20, 2027
Price: $2700 + Airfare (accommodations, meals, ground transportation Included)
Orientation: We will be hosting Zoom sessions to orient both adult caregivers and travelers for the journey. Presently, we have one scheduled for SEPTEMBER 17 and the other OCTOBER 4.
As the date gets nearer, the traveling cohort will gather beforehand and create tea samples and plant gifts to honor the land and people hosting us.
Here is our sample schedule:
2/14- Arrival in Kona/Settle into Akahiao Nature Institute
[note: Akahi Pu’u Hike depending on arrival times]
2/15- Service Learning/Earth Stewardship with Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa
To connect and ground the High Road Scholar teens and guides in mo‘olelo, mālama ‘āina, waiwai, plants, and their cultural and medicinal significance.
2/16- Private Charter and Snorkeling Trip with Sea Quest with Manu Powers who shares
“Our Captains & Crew know and love this South Kona Coastline and enjoy nothing more than sharing its cultural significance and ecological singularity with visiting friends.”
2/17- Indigenous Wisdom and History Field Trip to Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunauwith Kumu Talk Story about Creation Stories of the Land and People
2/18- Art and Culture Day with Donkey Mill Center with Lei Making, Bracelet Weaving, and Lau Lau with local, indigenous artists
2/19 Hōnalo Community Kuʻakuʻai Market
Join us for a special huakaʻi (field trip) to the Hōnalo Community Kuʻakuʻai Market—South Kona’s regenerative trade market rooted in cultural practice and founded by Taimiroa Pajimola and Honu Lafitaga.
In Hawaiian, kuʻakuʻai means to exchange, to give, and to return mutually. More than a market, this is a living cultural space—a kīpuka—where ancestral values are practiced through the intentional sharing of goods, produce, knowledge, and aloha.
The founders Taimi and Honu have created a space where relationships are honored over transactions, and trust is the true currency. Trade and generosity here are guided by these living philosophies:
Kuleana: Taking responsibility for how we show up
Reciprocity: Giving and receiving in balance
Mālama ʻāina and mālama kānaka: Caring for the land and each other
Sovereignty and trust: Letting go of fear and moving in good faith
2/20- Leave Kona with Grateful Hearts
[ Note: Our current suggested flight will arrive the next day, 2/21
FAQs
Who will be attending as staff?
Hanan Masri and Micah Bowie will be the two lead guides for this trip. They have a combined teaching experience of over 60 years and have completed first aid and CPR training. Hanan and Micah have worked together for many years as teachers and guides and share a mutual respect for one another and the youth they teach and learn from.
What is covered in the experience?
Ground transportation via mini vans, 3 meals a day, and all activities are covered. Please note that flights are not covered.
How will you organize flights?
As of now, we have found a flight that works well for our program from SFO to Kona; we can share the details of that itinerary with you on Zoom. For youth that are coming from out of state, we can arrange accommodation with a family stay or talk to you about your preferred accommodation. Please note that this may be an additional fee in some cases. Once we have your flight details, we can arrange the ground transportation with you. All flights should arrive to Kona on February 14 to facilitate the week’s program.
Do you accommodate food allergies?
We are very happy to arrange for meals to support people with food allergies with advance notice. Please note we are not a nut free sojourn.
Is financial aid available?
At this time, we do not have scholarships as we are in the building stage of our program. However, we will launch a “Give to the Gold” drive where some proceeds can go to qualifying families and pledge to keep building this fund.
How do you address youth who need to take medication?
Medication must be self administered and we will have meetings with families for which this may be the case to foster clarity and trust. We are available to help youth remember to take their medications.
Do you send communications to families while in Hawaii?
Yes, we send out one daily group text on a group thread. We will also supply you with a phone number to reach us in case of urgency. Youth are encouraged strongly to “unplug” while engaged in programming. If youth need to contact their families at any time for support, they are absolutely able to. Please note there is no WiFi at Akahiao Nature Institute.
How many youth go on this trip and what are the ages?
To launch this program, we need 10 youth for the attuned ratio of adult guide to youth of 1:5. This program is designed for ages 13 and above.
Where will you be staying in Kona?
We will be at the beautiful tent lodging of Akahiao Nature Institute in Kona. Shawna Sale of Akahiao will be available on September 17 to discuss more details and we will also share details on October 4. For now, Shawna writes “ the glampsite is so comfortable and such a beautifully unique experience. We are completely off grid and added solar power for our kitchen! The groups we have hosted have been blown away by the comfort, beauty, convenience, and garden fresh culinary delights we have to offer.”
Why Hawaii and why Hawaii This Way?
We know there are many valuable options for youth interested in a travel experience and several may even highlight opportunities to engage nature, food, and culture in a myriad of ways. Our programs are rooted in a respectful and personal cultural exchange between our cohort and the indigenous people and land of a place. We choose destinations we have personal connections to through our lived lineage or via the network of community we have personally built. High Road Scholars Co-Founder Samantha Smith spent 18 ½ years building that trust and rapport. The people and organizations we are partnering with are rooted friends or “friends of friends” who trust that our intentions are conscious and respectful. Another important aspect of our travel is that we bring a gift from the lands we find ourselves in diasporic or indigenous living to our destination. This can be a set of herbal teas we have created together that nurture the lives of the people and brings no harm to the land for example. These values are very dear and personal to us as founders.
Email us at highroadscholars@gmail.com to get details about a ZOOM information night on Thursday September 17 at 6:30 and Sunday, October 4 at 6:30
★ Please Note: After you fill out the form and click “Register Now” the camp is added to your shopping cart. To check out please click here or on the cart icon in the main navigation!
High Road Scholars, in conjunction with the Akahiao Nature Institute and Donkey Mill Art Center, invite you to a Tropical Winter Odyssey exploring the nature of you in Kona, Hawaii.
This immersive program includes
A stay on a 3-acre organic permaculture farm, a verdant oasis of culinary plants
An earth stewardship service-learning experience, reverently restoring and tending to the land of Hawai‘i
Syncopating spirits through authentically Hawaiian talk story, lei making, herbalism, and respectful travel through the contoured landscapes of Kona
Donning the hat of farmer-chef as we collectively create meals from a stunning "garden of eating"
More details below ↓
Dates: February 14-20, 2027
Price: $2700 + Airfare (accommodations, meals, ground transportation Included)
Orientation: We will be hosting Zoom sessions to orient both adult caregivers and travelers for the journey. Presently, we have one scheduled for SEPTEMBER 17 and the other OCTOBER 4.
As the date gets nearer, the traveling cohort will gather beforehand and create tea samples and plant gifts to honor the land and people hosting us.
Here is our sample schedule:
2/14- Arrival in Kona/Settle into Akahiao Nature Institute
[note: Akahi Pu’u Hike depending on arrival times]
2/15- Service Learning/Earth Stewardship with Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa
To connect and ground the High Road Scholar teens and guides in mo‘olelo, mālama ‘āina, waiwai, plants, and their cultural and medicinal significance.
2/16- Private Charter and Snorkeling Trip with Sea Quest with Manu Powers who shares
“Our Captains & Crew know and love this South Kona Coastline and enjoy nothing more than sharing its cultural significance and ecological singularity with visiting friends.”
2/17- Indigenous Wisdom and History Field Trip to Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunauwith Kumu Talk Story about Creation Stories of the Land and People
2/18- Art and Culture Day with Donkey Mill Center with Lei Making, Bracelet Weaving, and Lau Lau with local, indigenous artists
2/19 Hōnalo Community Kuʻakuʻai Market
Join us for a special huakaʻi (field trip) to the Hōnalo Community Kuʻakuʻai Market—South Kona’s regenerative trade market rooted in cultural practice and founded by Taimiroa Pajimola and Honu Lafitaga.
In Hawaiian, kuʻakuʻai means to exchange, to give, and to return mutually. More than a market, this is a living cultural space—a kīpuka—where ancestral values are practiced through the intentional sharing of goods, produce, knowledge, and aloha.
The founders Taimi and Honu have created a space where relationships are honored over transactions, and trust is the true currency. Trade and generosity here are guided by these living philosophies:
Kuleana: Taking responsibility for how we show up
Reciprocity: Giving and receiving in balance
Mālama ʻāina and mālama kānaka: Caring for the land and each other
Sovereignty and trust: Letting go of fear and moving in good faith
2/20- Leave Kona with Grateful Hearts
[ Note: Our current suggested flight will arrive the next day, 2/21
FAQs
Who will be attending as staff?
Hanan Masri and Micah Bowie will be the two lead guides for this trip. They have a combined teaching experience of over 60 years and have completed first aid and CPR training. Hanan and Micah have worked together for many years as teachers and guides and share a mutual respect for one another and the youth they teach and learn from.
What is covered in the experience?
Ground transportation via mini vans, 3 meals a day, and all activities are covered. Please note that flights are not covered.
How will you organize flights?
As of now, we have found a flight that works well for our program from SFO to Kona; we can share the details of that itinerary with you on Zoom. For youth that are coming from out of state, we can arrange accommodation with a family stay or talk to you about your preferred accommodation. Please note that this may be an additional fee in some cases. Once we have your flight details, we can arrange the ground transportation with you. All flights should arrive to Kona on February 14 to facilitate the week’s program.
Do you accommodate food allergies?
We are very happy to arrange for meals to support people with food allergies with advance notice. Please note we are not a nut free sojourn.
Is financial aid available?
At this time, we do not have scholarships as we are in the building stage of our program. However, we will launch a “Give to the Gold” drive where some proceeds can go to qualifying families and pledge to keep building this fund.
How do you address youth who need to take medication?
Medication must be self administered and we will have meetings with families for which this may be the case to foster clarity and trust. We are available to help youth remember to take their medications.
Do you send communications to families while in Hawaii?
Yes, we send out one daily group text on a group thread. We will also supply you with a phone number to reach us in case of urgency. Youth are encouraged strongly to “unplug” while engaged in programming. If youth need to contact their families at any time for support, they are absolutely able to. Please note there is no WiFi at Akahiao Nature Institute.
How many youth go on this trip and what are the ages?
To launch this program, we need 10 youth for the attuned ratio of adult guide to youth of 1:5. This program is designed for ages 13 and above.
Where will you be staying in Kona?
We will be at the beautiful tent lodging of Akahiao Nature Institute in Kona. Shawna Sale of Akahiao will be available on September 17 to discuss more details and we will also share details on October 4. For now, Shawna writes “ the glampsite is so comfortable and such a beautifully unique experience. We are completely off grid and added solar power for our kitchen! The groups we have hosted have been blown away by the comfort, beauty, convenience, and garden fresh culinary delights we have to offer.”
Why Hawaii and why Hawaii This Way?
We know there are many valuable options for youth interested in a travel experience and several may even highlight opportunities to engage nature, food, and culture in a myriad of ways. Our programs are rooted in a respectful and personal cultural exchange between our cohort and the indigenous people and land of a place. We choose destinations we have personal connections to through our lived lineage or via the network of community we have personally built. High Road Scholars Co-Founder Samantha Smith spent 18 ½ years building that trust and rapport. The people and organizations we are partnering with are rooted friends or “friends of friends” who trust that our intentions are conscious and respectful. Another important aspect of our travel is that we bring a gift from the lands we find ourselves in diasporic or indigenous living to our destination. This can be a set of herbal teas we have created together that nurture the lives of the people and brings no harm to the land for example. These values are very dear and personal to us as founders.
Email us at highroadscholars@gmail.com to get details about a ZOOM information night on Thursday September 17 at 6:30 and Sunday, October 4 at 6:30
★ Please Note: After you fill out the form and click “Register Now” the camp is added to your shopping cart. To check out please click here or on the cart icon in the main navigation!
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