Stakeholders

• Chloe Lavigne – Visual Artist & Designer; project lead, workshop coordination, integration of keiki artwork.

• ʻĀinaQuest – Partner organization; provides educational framework and ensures cultural/ecological grounding.

• Kera Rasa – Graphic Designer; designs workshop materials and exhibition elements.

• Belen Leon – Photographer & Videographer; documents workshops and showcase through images and short films.

• Jonavan Gonzalez – Financial Manager; oversees budget and transparent fund allocation.

• Hana Yoshimura – Community Outreach & Marketing; develops communications strategy, promotes workshops, and supports public engagement.

• State council and country - allowing this whole project to happen at these public sites

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Participants

• Keiki & Families – Core participants; engage in place-based workshops, create original characters, and contribute to the final showcase.

• Has a hale (open-air pavilion) and covered spaces used for group gatherings and workshops.

• Shaded forest trails also provide natural cover.

• You could plan to do sketching and character-making inside the hale after observation walks.

🌱 Ka Papa Loʻi o Kānewai (Loʻi)

• Includes a hale used for educational sessions and cultural activities.

• Shaded spaces by the stream and loʻi banks, but hale is the most practical for art activities.

🍠 Waimea Valley (Mala)

• Offers cultural hale structures near the entrance and along the valley trail where workshops are often held.

• The visitor center has shaded areas and sometimes classroom-style meeting rooms.

• Plenty of tree canopy for natural shade.

🐚 Mālama Maunalua (Shoreline)

• This one is more exposed since much of the work is on the bay and beach.

• A good option is to bring pop-up tents or partner with a nearby school or community center (like Koko Head Elementary or Hawaiʻi Kai schools) for indoor backup space.

🌊 Kakō‘ō ʻŌiwi / Paepae o Heʻeia (Kai / Fishpond)

• Has open-air pavilions and hale where groups usually gather before and after wetland or fishpond activities.

• Shaded structures make it easy to transition from outdoor work to indoor art sessions.

🏛️ Entrepreneurs Sandbox (Showcase)

• Fully indoor creative hub with AC, Wi-Fi, and flexible seating.

• Ideal for exhibition, art display, and playtesting the ʻĀinaQuest community deck.

Ahupuaʻa Levels of Life is a year-long series of keiki art and play workshops across Oʻahu created with ʻĀinaQuest. Each event takes place in a different part of the ahupuaʻa — mountains, loʻi, shoreline, and ocean — where children study plants and creatures, then turn them into original characters through drawing and storytelling. These designs reflect the Hawaiian view that ʻāina is alive and may be added to ʻĀinaQuest’s educational card game. The program helps combat “plant blindness” by teaching children to see overlooked details of their environment as kin. A final showcase will present the keiki’s work and debut a community-inspired deck of cards, nurturing pilina with land and fostering future stewardship.

Full Version:

Ahupuaʻa Levels of Life is a year-long series of keiki art and play workshops across Oʻahu created in collaboration with ʻĀinaQuest. Each event takes place in a different part of the ahupuaʻa — from mountains to loʻi to shoreline and ocean — where children observe plants, insects, and organisms in their environment and bring them to life as original characters through drawing and storytelling. These characters reflect the Hawaiian understanding that ʻāina is alive and filled with spirit, and may be integrated into ʻĀinaQuest’s educational card game to expand its universe with designs created by the community. The program combats “plant blindness” by encouraging children to notice the overlooked details of their environment and see them as kin. A final showcase will celebrate the keiki’s artwork and introduce a community-inspired deck of ʻĀinaQuest cards. Through art, play, and cultural storytelling, the project nurtures pilina with land and fosters stewardship for future generations.

1. Kickoff & Planning – Confirm project team, finalize sites and seasonal schedule, secure ʻĀinaQuest partnership roles.

2. Curriculum & Materials Approved – Workshop structure, art-making prompts, and learning goals reviewed and ready.

3. Designs/Marketing created, approved, sent out

4. Outreach & Recruitment – Community outreach launched by Hana Yoshimura; keiki and family participants confirmed.

5. First Workshop Successfully Delivered – Pilot session completed; process evaluated and adjusted as needed.

6. Seasonal Workshop Cycle Completed – All four workshops (mountain, loʻi, shoreline, ocean) delivered with documentation.

7. Integration with ʻĀinaQuest – Selected keiki characters prepared for potential inclusion in the card game.

8. Final Showcase Approved – Venue secured, designs finalized by Chloe & Kera, and event logistics confirmed.

9. Showcase Event Delivered – Public exhibition held; photography and videography completed.

10. Project Documentation Finalized – Belen’s photos and video compiled, budget closed by Jonavan, outreach report by Hana completed.

🚫 Out of Scope

Related activities, tasks, and deliverables that are not included and will not be worked on:

• Development of a new game system outside of ʻĀinaQuest’s framework.

• Large-scale or permanent exhibitions (project limited to temporary showcase).

• Production of physical merchandise beyond workshop and showcase needs.

• Expanding workshops beyond Oʻahu (this cycle limited to Oʻahu sites).

• Ongoing staffing or programming after the grant-funded period ends.