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The M\u0101la is home to a number of plant species, both introduced and native. (Photo by Cameron Enomoto)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n Born and raised on O\u02bbahu in Maunalua, Soong attended Kaiser High School and graduated in 2016. Soon after, his parents gave him the ultimatum of either attending college or paying bills.<\/p>\n “I think KCC was my only choice coming out of high school,” said\u00a0Soong.\u00a0“I wasn\u2019t really looking for anywhere out of state, plus it was the cheaper option. KCC was the next part of the route after Kaiser, not as a backup plan, but it\u2019s a good place for those who don\u2019t know what they want to do.”<\/span><\/p>\n Soong completed his Associate of Arts in Hawaiian Studies at KCC and went on to UH Hilo to complete his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. Reflecting on his journey at KCC, Soong credits his success to the undeniable sense of community that KCC resonates in addition to the resources and support provided by programs for Native Hawaiian students.<\/p>\n “It was inspiring to see the resources being provided for Hawaiian students at the time as well as seeing the positive impact of the kai\u0101ulu [community],” he said. “When humans support humans in a genuine way there\u2019s a really positive experience that comes out of it. When you come to college and meet people for the first time or for the first few times, there\u2019s a genuine feeling that we have here at this campus and it\u2019s really nice to see that people want to lift up the l\u0101hui [collective] and that people are innately kind humans.”<\/span><\/p>\n As a student, Soong did not picture his career being what it is today.<\/p>\n “I didn\u2019t know what I had envisioned for myself in the first place as someone who lives day to day,” he said. “This wasn\u2019t the goal, but it just fell in my lap and I think it was a great opportunity that came knocking on my door.”<\/span><\/p>\n Currently, the M\u0101la is home to Polynesian-introduced flora, such as kukui, niu (coconut), \u02bbulu, turmeric, and sugarcane. Additionally, there are native plants in the M\u0101la that include \u02bbilima, \u02bbuhaloa, and \u02bb\u014dhi\u02bba. However, according to Soong, around 30% of the land section is unmanaged and dominated by invasive species like haole koa, kiawe, and bush grass.<\/p>\n “I\u2019m looking forward to dwindling that non-native number down and focusing on native succession,” Soong said. “I want to utilize all the land that we have available in this space and bring forth abundance in the M\u0101la.<\/span> It\u2019s a really low-stress job, and just being out in the \u2018\u0101ina is a relief. We draw energy from the Earth, and it makes me feel positive doing what I do.”<\/span><\/p>\n