Final exams for Chaminade students ended on Wednesday, May 26, and four days later, 12 juniors and seniors, along with their chaperones, boarded a plane for Maui. The group left Southern California and began their summer vacation with an ecology trip through Chaminade College Preparatory’s Center for Excellence (CFE).

The nine-day trip gave students the opportunity to contribute directly to current research projects on Maui, as well as learn about conservation and restoration issues and efforts. While coursework involved snorkeling, collecting fish species data, surveying sea turtles, and more, students also had the opportunity to study the biodiversity of the taro plant at the Waihe’e Ranch. Their day began at 7:00 a.m. and they worked until 12:00 p.m. Students studied various taro plants, cleaned taro patches, and prepared new roots of taro for future planting. They then used their knowledge of science to make meaningful decisions on how to better live a sustainable and resourceful life.

The Ecology Project International kicks off the summer portion of CFE. Summer Session I officially begins with on-campus activities on June 12. Two more sessions run through July 14. For more information, please visit www.chaminade.org/centerforexcellence or contact the CFE at (818) 347-8300.