🚀 STEM Night at Pū‘ohala Elementary
We’re excited to share that our recent UH News article on STEM Night at Pū‘ohala Elementary has been reprinted in Ka Wai Ola in English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi for their Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi special issue!
Mahalo to Pū‘ohala Elementary, our STEM Pre-Academy and OVPRI teams, UH News, and Ka Wai Ola! Hauʻoli Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi!
🚀 If you want to bring rockets to your classroom, check out our AquaPort II Water Rocket Launcher, Mini Straw Rocket Launcher, and Straw Rocket Launcher.
🌱 Grow Your Own Greens at Honowai Elementary on HIKI NŌ
Serena Moriya, Tech Coordinator at Honowai Elementary, was curious about incorporating hydroponics into the classroom, so she reached out to STEM Pre-Academy. With support and guidance from Edwin J. Colón, STEM Pre-Academy Program Specialist, and a portable hydroponics cart from our Lending Library, Serena and her students learned to grow bok choy in the classroom. While learning about hydroponics and growing their own food, Serena and the Honowai students documented their journey. Their impressive work is featured in the February 3rd, 2026 episode of HIKI NŌ.
Fun fact: Our portable hydroponics cart relies on the Kratky Method! This hydroponics method was developed by Dr. Bernard Kratky, Researcher Emeritus from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, based at the Komohana Research and Extension Center in Hilo.
🌱 If you are interested in plants in your classroom, consider our Germination Station or Orchid Models (Bucket and Vanilla). Want to know more about hydroponics? Reach out to stemhelp@hawaii.edu to start the conversation!
🍍🤖 An Award-Winning Pineapple Robot? Way to go, Rona and Erik!
We were delighted to see one of our student interns, Rona Lei Duldulao, featured in the UHM College of Engineering 2025 Year in Review! Rona and Team ʻĀina, which also included our intern Erik Bendickson, competed against 34 teams from around the world and won the international Farm Robotics Challenge 2025’s Excellence in Productivity (Air) award. Their AI-powered robot and drone system was designed to count and size pineapples at Dole Plantation using ground-based robotic imaging and aerial drone surveys.
🤖 Want to get your students started on coding and robotics? Try our Lego SPIKE Set, Ozobots, Sphero SPRK+, Sphero Minis, Micro:bits, or MakeyMakeys. Pineapples not included.