Liliʻuokalani Trust

At LT Ranch, Healing Begins with Art, Animals, and ‘Āina

2025-02-20

At LT Ranch, Healing Begins with Art, Animals, and ʻĀina

LT Ranch, a 10-acre site in Waimea, Hawaiʻi Island, provides three enriching pathways to help the youth of Liliʻuokalani Trust develop social-emotional skills and resilience. These pathways include art, animal-assisted therapy, and the ʻāina (land).

For 5th through 8th graders, after-school programs at the Ranch invite them to connect with peers and explore the arts, farming, and animal interactions. Older teens and young adults, who are not in traditional schools, have access to the Ranch’s facilities several times a week through the ALPSS program (Alternative Learning Programs, Supports and Services). Youth ages 11 to 17 can attend week-long residential camps in the summer, fall, and spring, to soak up nature, create art, and interact with the animals. For many, camps are their first encounter with horses.

These unique experiences at LT Ranch provide an emotional reset for the youth, a break from stressors, and a chance to heal and grow. The Ranch’s programs further the mission of Queen Liliʻuokalani, whose desire was to have thriving Hawaiian children across the pae ‘āina.

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ART PATHWAY

Art is a significant program at LT Ranch — whether at camps, after school, or alternative learning. Each youth arrives with unique experiences they express through art pieces.

What also drives their creative process are values of Hawaiʻi:

Aloha, associated with love, peace, and respect.

Onipaʻa, bravery and the idea that failure is a part of growth. Kuleana, responsibility toward oneself and others.

Mālama, care and nurture for the environment and community.

ʻImi Ike, curiosity and knowledge, and the freedom to learn at one’s own pace.

Kūpono, reputation and knowing that words and actions represent one’s family, community, and the Queen.

The ceramics program is another cherished part of the art experience at LT Ranch. As the young artists throw pots on the wheel, or build by hand, they form connections to the land beneath them and understand that the clay they mold is an extension of themselves, a physical manifestation of the emotional work they’re doing.

A signature art project is the “visual journal.” This triangular-shaped mosaic allows the youth to document their experiences and feelings and reflect on their time at the Ranch. The process takes several days, as the youth carefully fit each piece into a frame. The visual journal becomes a tangible reminder of their growth at LT Ranch.

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ANIMAL PATHWAY: LT Ranch Introduces Kamaliʻi to Equine-Assisted Therapy

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ʻĀINA PATHWAY

The ʻāina is a natural pathway for healing at LT Ranch. Whether they are growing crops or walking the grounds, youth are stewards of the land.

Kalo (taro) — a staple in Hawaiian culture — is a significant part of the Ranch’s ʻāina program. Harvesting kalo takes up to 18 months, a laborious process that teaches patience, responsibility, and respect for natural processes.

The youth also learn about hydroponic farming — a soil-free method of growing plants inside water. It is a source of pride, especially those in the after-school programs, when they can grow, harvest, and share the fruits of their labor with their families and neighbors. It also allows them to build pilina (relationships) with their communities and heal within themselves.

The alternative-learning students immerse deeper into the Ranch’s ʻāina program, where they have opportunities to learn traditional and modern farming and become stewards of the land. For the past three years, these older youth have participated in the Kalo Challenge, hosted by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s Alternative Learning Programs Branch.

The Challenge is the culmination of a year-long project where at-promise students plant, cultivate, and integrate taro into an original culinary dish — like savory pizzas and sauces.

In 2023, their first year of participation, students at the Ranch won first place for Hawai’i Island, leading them to the state finals on Oʻahu. In 2024, they again ranked No. 1 (and were preparing for the 2025 event at the time of this writing). The Challenge requires them to use physical labor, knowledge of the ʻāina, recipe development, teamwork and collaboration — vital skills to build resiliency and instill confidence.

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