This article was originally published in the fall 2012 Harker Quarterly.

Upper school journalism students, accompanied by journalism teacher Chris Daren, history teacher Julie Wheeler and Evan Barth, dean of studies, spent two weeks at the end of June on Maui for this year’s annual trip, preparing for the challenges of the upcoming school year.

Staff members for the yearbook, the Winged Post student newspaper and the Harker journalism news website TalonWP.com gathered to plan for coverage, learn how to use the tools of the trade and, most importantly, hone their real-world journalism skills taking photos, interviewing locals and writing and publishing stories about their experiences on the island.

The students spent the first few days of the trip discussing the incoming school year and prospecting for stories. Students discovered a local artist carrying on the traditional South Pacific artistry taught to him by his grandfather and told his story, in addition to publishing a detailed review of the nearby Makena Beach.

The second week started with an interview at the Maui Academy of Performing Arts (mAPA), whose staff discussed their latest production, “Narnia.” Later, the journalists got a firsthand look at the process of harvesting, preparing and skinning pineapples.

A highlight of the trip was the trek up the face of the enormous Haleakala, the shield volcano that makes up more than three quarters of the island of Maui. As the students reached the crater, the breathtaking visual. The group later took a trip along the road to Hana, famous for its gorgeous scenery. The final few days of the trip were packed with activity, starting with a double dose of live theater and finishing up with, of course, surfing lessons.