Māla Mana’olana
A space of hope and confidence for students with special needs.
Ka‘u – Kea‘au – Pahoa Complex
Kea‘au Middle School, Hawai‘i
Special Education Teacher
Fully Self-Contained, 6-8
8 Years Teaching Experience
Meet Kristel Meyers Brogdon
Aloha! I am Kristel Meyers Brogdon and I am a Special Education teacher at Kea‘au Middle School. Currently, I teach a Fully Self-Contained program for students with Autism, intellectual, emotional, and learning disabilities. I chose to become a special education teacher because I strongly believe that all students deserve to have someone who is going to work hard and be passionate about providing them the best educational experience possible. Ho‘omau means to make good long-lasting, and teaching my students the skills to succeed in all areas of their life has become my passion. More than anything, I love watching students who have gone through my class succeed in high school, be able to keep their grades up, play sports, and engage positively in their school community. Knowing that I am making a difference, a lasting impact, on a child’s life is the biggest reward. I started working in the fully self-contained setting as an Educational Assistant while going to college, and I fell in love with the students of the Puna district and the Ka‘u-Kea‘au-Pahoa Complex. Many of our students come from extraordinary backgrounds and have an incredible story to share, and I believe it is my privilege to help them find their voice and the confidence to be the change we need in this world.
E kuahui like i ka hana.
Let everybody pitch in and work together.
Groundwork: Laying Foundations for Success
What is the problem?
In the past, students placed in the Fully Self-Contained setting for their emotional/behavioral needs often entered the classroom with a notion that they were genuinely bad, damaged goods, and incapable and undeserving of success. As teachers, we can see their potential before they even realize it's there. So the question becomes, how can we help them see that they have everything that they need to succeed and accomplish great things in life? How can we empower them with the confidence to showcase their strengths to the world around them?
Why is this so important?
With the right environment and conditions, students will thrive.
When students are given opportunities to apply their strengths in the educational environment, they will build self-confidence and allow themselves to feel success.
Student engagement increases when students see themselves as having an important role in their learning.
Practicing thrive skills will help students shift their mindset, take ownership of their learning, and have an amazing educational experience.
Planting the Seeds
Taking an idea and running with it
We initially received some funding to create a school garden and immediately got to work creating our space. COVID-19 happened and put things on hold for a while, but our students jumped right back in there and worked daily to get things going again at the start of this school year. We knew that this space could be the perfect opportunity to provide engaging, cross-content, and hands-on lessons, in an outside learning environment that was safe and student-created. Our students learned and applied thrive skills like cooperation, perseverance, mindfulness, and empathy throughout the various stages of building Māla Mana’olana. They developed trusting relationships and worked closely with other adults on campus, learned how to use their strengths to overcome obstacles and contribute to the project, and best of all, developed confidence and pride in this space that was turning out to be much greater than anyone initially imagined.
A Season of Growing
Students and Plants are thriving!
This season of growth is amazing to witness. Students who previously struggled with social skills, have learned to communicate and work with others to complete tasks more efficiently. Students who have a difficult time learning in a classroom with four walls, continue to use this space to showcase their strengths and talents. They have developed a sense of pride in what they have created here at Kea'au Middle School. Listening to the sound of the excitement and confidence in their voice at harvest time is one of the best moments of my day as their teacher. Each student is realizing that they always had the potential to do great things. Like their plants, they just needed the right environment and conditions to thrive.
Building Community
Farm to table
Students have recently been offering produce bags to faculty and staff in exchange for pictures of their prepared meals. Learning different ways to use the vegetables and herbs that are growing in the school garden will encourage our entire Greenwave 'Ohana to be creative in the kitchen, explore new foods, and lead a healthy lifestyle. Students have been accepting produce orders through phone and email, fulfilling requests by bagging the day's harvest on a first come first serve basis, and then delivering across campus. This process has allowed our students to positively interact and form relationships with faculty and staff across the campus. Mahalo Greenwave 'Ohana for inspiring everyone with your creativity in the kitchen.
Looking Towards the Future
Student Initiated Projects
Each student has selected a Passion Project of their own based on their interests and our shared vision for Māla Mana’olana. It is their kuleana to do the research, spend time observing and learning from experts, and compiling a final proposal and plan for their project. Current student-initiated project topics include aquaponics, composting, raising worms, creating a butterfly garden, and raising layer hens. The student-initiated projects will determine how Māla Mana’olana expands and transforms, and that is extremely exciting!
STEM Opportunities
Māla Mana’olana provides the perfect opportunity for students to engage in STEM activities. As students begin to rollout their own passion projects, they will be leading their peers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics lessons and hands-on learning. The outside learning space is the perfect "classroom" for students to explore their knowledge and skills in an engaging and non-traditional way!
Take-Home Veggie Kits
Using the vegetables and herbs that they are growing in the garden, students are learning recipes to cook healthy meals for their 'ohana. They have been able to cook various dishes in class and snack on the fresh vegetables that they harvest, but it is our hope that they will soon be able to takes these recipes home with their veggies to promote a healthy lifestyle outside of this classroom.
Veggie Starts and Produce Bags
As Māla Mana’olana expands, the students have expressed interest in providing veggie starts and produce bags for students and faculty. Building and setting up a produce stand and donation box outside of our classroom would allow our school family a convenient venue for supporting our students' projects and hard work.
Mahalo Nui!
We are grateful for the ongoing support from...
Our Greenwave 'ohana at Kea'au Middle School
Ace Hardware
HPM Building Supply
Garden Exchange in Hilo
Rozett's Nursery
The SPEDucator Project
KMS PTSA
Holly and Chuck Hedstrom
School Resource Officer Dustin Sampaga