What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sustainable Agriculture and Community Outreach Intern position at Hawaii Preparatory Academy?
ABOUT THE POSITION
The sustainable agriculture and community outreach intern will apprentice at Ulu Malama Terrace Farm and the Ulumau Garden at the HPA Upper Campus and Village Campus respectively. This individual will help to serve our community by assisting with food outreach, connecting the school gardens to our Waimea community. They will learn and implement sustainable agriculture practices and grow fresh food for those in need within our island community. They will learn best practices to educate and enhance the learning experience of our current students in grades K-12.
Applications will be reviewed this month. Interviews are expected to take place in February, with the goal of hiring the position before Spring Break. The anticipated start date for this role is around July 24, 2026.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Sustainable Agriculture: To learn and implement regenerative agriculture practices while developing and maintaining a connection to our island.
- Open communication and collaboration with garden coordinators
- Assist with seeding, cultivation, soil amending, harvesting, and produce distribution
- Organization and record keeping of farming systems
- Be an advocate for farm to school education for our students ages 5-18
Education: To learn how to implement garden-based classes in an outdoor setting using place-based experiential learning.
- Help maintain a safe and welcoming outdoor classroom environment
- Build relationships with students and the community through food
- Provide positive, caring, empathetic treatment of students
- Exhibit enthusiasm for place-based curriculum
Community Outreach: To learn about issues of food security that uniquely affect our island home and to partner with local groups that are serving our community.
- Assist in food production for community partners
- Build relationships with community food organizations and local farmers
- Keeping records on food distribution
QUALIFICATIONS:
- High School Diploma
- Previous knowledge and/or a passion for farm to table education
- Ability to lift 50lbs
- Enjoy working outside in variable weather conditions and uneven terrain
- Ability to perform each essential job function satisfactorily - working both independently and alongside others
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate effectively with students, colleagues, and community members as needed
- Ability to use computers for classroom instruction and record keeping
- This position is not tied to the academic calendar. Learning how to best work in each space, and honoring the Garden working in the summer and over school breaks is essential to supporting its ongoing needs.
Schedule for 1 year paid internship: July 24, 2026 - July 16, 2027
Salary: This is a grant-funded, part-time position, scheduled for 19 hours per week. The pay rate for this role is $20 per hour.
ABOUT US:
The mission of Hawai'i Preparatory Academy (HPA) is to provide exceptional learning opportunities in a diverse community honoring the traditions of Hawai'i. Our work is grounded in HPA's Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Pursuit of Excellence, and Wonder.
Located on Hawaii Island, one of the most beautiful places on the planet, HPA is a co-educational, college-preparatory, day and boarding school that serves kindergarten through 12th grade. Our students live and study within rare landscapes, precious ecosystems, and a mix of world cultures. We embrace these attributes to create unique signature programs, research partnerships, and growth opportunities to empower students with a sense of purpose and the real-world skills to explore and reinvent that purpose over a lifetime. HPA's goal is to be among the greenest of schools and to undertake a leadership role in sustainability education, where our campus serves as a living laboratory that sends engaged citizens and agents of change into the world.
We seek individuals who believe in our school mission and core values and who share our commitment to the children of Hawai'i Island as well as the dynamic young people who come to HPA from around the world.
HPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex including gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, status as a qualified individual with a disability, marital status, arrest and court record, credit history, status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence, among other things, as provided for by State and Federal law status, arrest and court record, credit history, status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence, among other things, as provided for by State and Federal law.