Tyler Levine’s seed story begins with her recognition of similarities between the proliferation and growth of seeds and her personal growth in a sometimes fragmented world. Beginning with a 6th grade sustainability project, Tyler goes from feeling safe only under a canopy of leaves to becoming a dynamic sustainability champion, and learns to embrace the agency she has discovered in cultivating and saving seeds. As vital to the world at large as they are to her own being, seeds demonstrate the importance of resilience and diversity in life.

Rooted in Hawaiian culture and practice, Keoni’s seed story is an outgrowth of his family and ancestry. His love for Hawaiian plants and the environment was passed down from his tutu, a kahuna la‘au lapa‘au, to his father, and ultimately to him. Keoni acknowledges the interrelationship between native birds and native plants, and his journey encompasses restoration and ecological preservation of the land around Kohala mountain on the Island of Hawai‘i, where he was raised.His photographs capture the return of native birds to native trees that he planted and nurtured.

Yinan Wang moved to Hawai‘i from Shanghai in 6th grade; in 8th grade, she joined the Washington Middle School Science Club, and her seed story began. She was introduced to sustainability, climate change, hydroponics and seed saving, and allowed to complete her own research project, Lettuce to Seed, Heirloom to Trade. A burgeoning desire to contribute to the future led Yinan to use her art for expression, and as a communication tool to break the language barrier.

Presenter Tyler Levine offers inspiring closing remarks to the Save Seeds, Save our Future workshop. She entreats teachers to take action, as keepers of the keys to our future: “…help us turn our passion and interest into action through the metaphor and the message of the seed, the tiny package full of potential.” In so doing, she leads us not only to the end of a workshop, but to the beginning of a way forward.

Timothy-John “Keoni” Lorenzo quotes a Hawaiian proverb, “Pua nā kupu I ke kumu.” “The seeds flourish because of the trees.” He points to the allegory of trees to teachers and seeds to students, as parts of a single life cycle, in which the role of each is not only significant, but indispensable and commutable: The teacher becomes the student, the student becomes the teacher. This valuable lesson from Hawaiian culture is meaningful in every learning context.