Project Lemon Tree advisors met in Kona, Hawai’i at Hokukano Ranch where a 5 acre site has been prepared for a research project to study and determine best practices for how to optimize organic lemon tree growing in orchards at agricultural scale. Present were Tom Pace (Hokukano owner), Gill Berger (First Foundation Bank Advisor and Bizgenics Foundation Advisor), Steve Sue (Bizgenics Foundation and Project Lemon Tree founder) and Paul Marais and team (managing director of SOGA Organic, the South … [Read more...]
TECH-TONIC SHIFTS: Transforming Education Through Technology
A "Transforming Education Through Technology" brainstorm was held at the STEM Ecosystems Convening, October 22, 2019 in Cleveland, OH. The premise: technology is shaking traditional education to the core. To some, technology is creating amazing new worlds. To others, education has become a hazardous landscape of fractured faults. Technology & Education … [Read more...]
Teachers: How Does Your PBL Garden Grow?
Hey Teachers: We're back from the 2019 Fall convening of STEM Ecosystems, Cleveland, OH where we presented a mind-map exercise on how to make your PBL (Project-Based Learning) environment grow. In this process, we provided a handout that you can use to plan a holistic STEM + soft skills experience to make a "Whole Child" learning experience. PBL Whole-Child Growth Tips PBL Music Hack, Hawai’i-Style STEM + Soft Skills The session covered oh so many inter-disciplinary education topics as … [Read more...]
Lemonade Alley 2019
The Ninth Annual Lemonade Alley played on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at Pearlridge Center in Aiea, Hawai’i. Among proclamations by the Mayor's Office, Lemon Bank by American Savings Bank and Center Stage taste tests and 1-minute pitches, results this year included: 15,000+ event visitors 70 students in 16 teams 11 low-income schools represented $6,352 for charities of teams' choices 14 charities supported 1,864 cups served 70 volunteers (450 hours of donated time) Huge … [Read more...]
Lemonade Alley in Hilo, Hawai’i
Almost 9 years ago, Bizgenics planted its first "Lemonade Alley Event" seed in the soils of Pearl Ridge Center. Over $70,000 raised for charity later, the once seedling of a program, has grown and branched out to Hilo, a neighboring Island! Under the supervision of teacher, Leslie Walker, students from Waimea Elementary were taught more than just culinary and business skills through the program. They were taught good ethics and “It was about being together as a community and coming together … [Read more...]
Project Lemon Tree: Jefferson Elementary School
More than just an educational citrus planting, the first Project Lemon Tree at Jefferson Elementary School taught the keiki a valuable lesson on "how to make lemonade out of lemons." In 2016, vandals had cold-heartedly burned down Jefferson Elementary School's playground along with the joy it once provided the keiki. Looking past the charred devastation, Principal Garret Zakahi's fire proof optimism beautified the hideous act into our inaugural Project Lemon Tree trellis planting. On July 21, … [Read more...]
New App-preneur Accelerator Launched
An Accelerator for Both Coders & Non-Coders Bizgenics Foundation recently launched HaccUp, an app-entrepreneur accelerator program that empowers app-preneurs, both coders and non-coders, to create positive impacts for People, Planet and Philanthropies. 0% Equity Business Model HaccUp requires 0% equity for participation and offers rock-bottom development costs by using Bizgenics' microservices development platform and offshore development team. Participants are free to leave the platform … [Read more...]
Mahalo to Elemental Excelerator
One of the best things that happened to Bizgenics Foundation this year was the start of a new partnership with Elemental Excelerator. Elemental is the largest accelerator in the State of Hawaii having funded over $23 million dollars to over 60 companies in the past three years. And adding their list of credits, title sponsor of little ol' Lemonade Alley, 2018. From all of us at Bizgenics to the entire team at Elemental, MAHALO for supporting our keiki program... and thx for all the cool EE … [Read more...]
It’s a Wrap! 2016 BGF Summary
Aloha Lemonites & BizzyBs! 2016 has been a year of astonishing growth and good times for the BizGym Foundation. Our message of “Profit to SHARE” is trending in a market that’s celebrating a renewed interest in innovative skills and entrepreneurial spirit. Top BGF initiatives this year: 1. Lemonade Alley was Zestier than Ever! Lemonade Alley completed it’s 7th year of operations this year at Pearlridge Center. As always, American Savings Bank provided the big $1,000 cash prizes won by three … [Read more...]
Congrats to Outstanding Women in Hawaii!
BizGym Foundation congratulates three very special ladies who were honored as women of distinction by the Hawaii Girl Scouts. Louise Ing: WOW! One of our very own Board Members at BGF! Louis is one of the top dog at Alston, Hunt, Floyd & Ing. We know her as an all-around star and we're thankful for her counsel in driving BGF programs like Lemonade Alley. In fact, this past year, Louis wrote the licensing package for Lemonade Alley to go to the mainland and beyond! Catherine Ngo: CEO of … [Read more...]
