Young environmentalists in Hawai'i shared the importance of trees and their role in the community through film. As part of the "Year of Our Community Forests" campaign, K-12 students across the state took part in the Youth Xchange video contest, as reported by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. The videos showed how trees connect people to their homes and support growth.
A total of 32 entries shared personal stories about trees. Honowai Elementary School students won the top prize in the Elementary division. They created a video about the benefits of trees in their neighborhood and planted koa and ‘ulu trees on their campus. According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Moanalua Middle School’s entry focused on a tree called the "Power Tree, Lucky Tree." Kealakehe High School’s winning video, titled "Rooted in Kaloko," showed the forests near Honua'ula Forest Reserve as important to their community’s identity and growth.
Dr. Heather McMillen, Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry program coordinator, said, "When we grow trees, we sustain our communities." The campaign involved over 1,100 events organized by conservation partners in Hawai'i to honor trees. Student-created videos from a contest are available on the campaign’s website and are being shown on ‘Ōlelo Community Media, as stated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
