Lahaina Quest campers — from left, Zale Roddenberry, Linea Crichton, Halen Chaney, Madison Nakihei, Helaiyna Corniel-Luna and Caelin McClintock — make Portuguese Sweet Bread to be baked in a traditional Portuguese oven. PHOTO BY HEIDI SIEFKAS.

LAHAINA — For fall break 2021, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation hosted a five-day Lahaina Quest Culture Camp for local students in third, fourth and fifth grades. The camp was a quest through time and places in Historic Lahaina, a different era each day: Native Hawaiian, missionary, whaling, and sugar.

The fall camp was fully funded by the donors of Lahaina Restoration Foundation, thus, at no cost to local families.

Six students from Princess Nahi’ena’ena Elementary School, Sacred Hearts and Maui Preparatory Academy explored four different time periods spanning nearly 500 years of Lahaina’s history.

Every day, the kids investigated a distinct era and its culture through food, games, arts and crafts, as well as visits to historical sites/museums.

On the day that the camp focused on the sugar era, the kids made from scratch and baked pao doce (Portuguese Sweet Bread) in an authentic Portuguese oven fired with kiawe wood at the Agawa Home.

Showing off their artistic talents, they decorated their own set of POGS, a game originally from the 1920s and played with milk caps. Of course, there was an intense POGS tournament before the end of day.

When asked about the camp, fourth-grader Caelin McClintock said, “Such an amazing experience like no other camp that I’ve been to.”

Helaiyna Corniel-Luna, fourth grade, shared, “It’s a fun camp to make friends. We did fun experiments.”

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s mission is to preserve and protect the historic legacies of Lahaina. The foundation, led by Theo Morrison, executive director, extends its mission to include cultural education of local children as well as those young at heart.

Morrison added, “As a kid, I loved going to camp. When I realized that Lahaina didn’t have a cultural camp for kids, I knew it was my responsibility to start one. That’s how Lahaina Quest Culture Camp was born.”

Foundation Deputy Executive Director Kimberly Flook explained why Lahaina Quest is important.

“Kids are very receptive. If we can get kids to understand people through the study of cultures, they will have that understanding throughout their whole lifetime,” she said. “Plus, we have an excellent program that is not only educational, but also so much fun for the kids and the teachers, too!”

Throughout the five days, the base camp was located at Hale Aloha, where Lahaina Restoration Foundation has its collections room.

Each day, the kids had some time to explore its treasures. They got to see and touch a real milk cap for playing POGS in the sugar era. Also, they learned how to type on an old-school typewriter and dial on a rotary dial phone.

Flook commented, “One of the highlights for me as well as the kids was time in the collections room. It was a real hit to hold history in our hands.”

Flook will be heading up multiple Lahaina Quest programs between Christmas and New Year’s. The history and cultural focuses remain, but the attendees can choose to enroll in one or more programs.

The winter programs are designed for multiple age groups, including first/second/third grades, fourth/fifth grades, and a family class.

The Winter Lahaina Quest Culture programs will be fully funded by Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s donors. It’s not too early to start planning for your children’s winter break.

To learn more, register your keiki or support these programs, visit www.lahainarestoration.org or e-mail kimberly@lahainafoundation.org.