600 plus 5th graders attend Oahu Agriculture and Awareness Day at the UGC in Pearl City

Fifth graders representing 10 Oahu elementary schools came together on Friday, February 13 to take part in the annual Oahu Agriculture and Awareness Day held at the University of Hawaii's Urban Garden Center in Pearl City.

Over 600 students representing the following elementary schools participated in the event that was presented by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTHAR):

Aliamanu, Mokulele, Nimitz, Pearl Harbor Kai, Pearl Harbor, Horace Meek Hickam, Moanalua, Red Hill, and Shafter.

“We’re having a little over 600 kids this year,” said Ray Uchida,Manager, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. “We’re interested in educating our youngsters about the importance of agriculture and the opportunities in the future for jobs."

The students participated in an outdoor classroom setting that helped to educate them in the many different areas of agriculture taught by the CTHAR professionals.

"A lot of them have certain interests, and we’ve had some quizzes for them in the past, and I think a lot of them actually gained a lot about agriculture that they didn’t know before," Uchida said. "We think that’s very important.”

On Saturday, February 14 the Urban Garden Center opened to the public in celebration of Oahu Agriculture and Awareness Day as well as the Honolulu Rose Society's annual Valentine’s Day rose plant sale. Saturday's event offered the perfect opportunity for the 5th graders to return to the UGC to share their newly learned agriculture knowledge with their ohana.

"This is basically for 5^th graders, but we will be open tomorrow, so we try and encourage the kids to go home and bring their parents back with them," Uchida said.

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com

CTAHR Manager, Ray Uchida assists in passing out collection bags for the arriving

students to use as they navigate through the different agricultural related demonstration

and outdoor classroom tents set up throughout the Urban Garden Center grounds.

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com

Pearl Kai Elementary 5th graders make their way towards the outdoor agriculture classrooms.

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com

Students pictured engaging in outdoor classroom learning and test quiz exercises.

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com

CTAHR staff did an excellent job teaching the different areas of agriculture

here in Hawaii while also answering the students questions throughout the day.

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com

CTAHR staff pictured sharing their expertise with a group of students.

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com

The Success and Beauty of the UGC in Pearl City

Photo by Barry Villamil | barry@mypearlcity.com