Sowing Seeds for the UOG Press Youth Empowerment Initiative

October 20, 2023

Guåhan Sustainable Culture (GSC) is now collaborating with UOG Press on their Youth Empowerment Initiative, a project that focuses on cultural literacy and creative literature and expression for Guam’s youth. We will conduct workshops alongside UOG Press at the Department of Youth Affairs, where positive youth development is promoted. 

Our first workshop was conducted this month at the Kattan Department of Youth Affairs. The first lesson centered around the UOG Press book Mother Tree by Olympia Terral, a powerful story about Atisa, the last surviving håyon lågu tree on Guam. Through this book, we emphasized the importance of environmental stewardship and culturally significant plant species. The students acquired hands-on experience in planting as they sowed seeds for basil, green onions, and sigidiyas (winged beans). These plants, which they are now responsible for tending to at home, offer an opportunity for them to further deepen their understanding of sustainable gardening through experiential learning.

We look forward to further Youth Empowerment workshops in the upcoming months, where we will continue to use UOG Press’s cultural literature to enhance our sustainable education initiatives. 

Egg cartons are a sustainable and accessible alternative to plastic seedling trays. 

The students learned how to place soil and seeds into their trays by planting basil, green onions, and sigidiyas. They then labeled their plants with their names to take care of at home.