This Senior Takes Environmental Issues and Well-Being to Heart
By Lesa Griffith ’80
“In my life, it’s been important to take actual action,” says Mari Dela Cruz ’26. True to that philosophy, and following her impactful Aloha ‘Āina Ambassadors initiative, which had students writing letters of gratitude to Mother Earth last year, the newly minted senior spent her summer at Notre Dame’s Leadership Seminar on the Environment: Science, Policy, Ethics. The competitive program, open to students who have demonstrated significant leadership in their communities, offers a chance to explore environmental issues in a broader social context, including global justice.
“It was really interesting meeting people from all over the world and hearing about the environmental problems they face,” says Dela Cruz. “A student from Vietnam talked about how millions of people use gas-powered motorbikes there but are switching to electric motorbikes pretty fast. We challenged each other on best ideas to solve problems.”
The experience broadened her perception of the environmental space. “From the seminar, in a college environment, I realized it’s such a complex issue,” says Dela Cruz. “I see myself as a STEM person and in this program we had a lot of discussion about politics and ethics. Some say we can make local political change, others say it has to be corporations. It never ends, which is also what makes it really interesting.”
Growing up in lush Kāne‘ohe, an appreciation for ‘āina is ingrained in Dela Cruz. “I’ve always seen my home and land around me as something vital to our survival,” she says. “They allow me to live my life and connect me with my family, the water, the air we breathe.”
It is what led her to sign up for the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology’s Research Experiences in Marine Science (REMS) program at Coconut Island for two summers. Along with other high schoolers, she was paired with graduate students to experience marine science research. “The program ignited a passion that was already building,” says Dela Cruz, who served as a mentor helping new students learn to conduct research during her second summer with REMS.
The tragic 2023 Maui wildfires magnified the impact of climate change close to home. For Dela Cruz, as for many, the fires had a visceral effect. “Seeing these disasters occur brings me mental stress,” she says. That anxiety, combined with her growing passion, motivated her to create the Aloha ‘Āina Ambassadors project.
She hopes this initiative inspires younger generations to show acts of stewardship toward the environment – and strengthens mental and emotional wellbeing.
As someone who has faced anxiety, Dela Cruz has been grateful for the people who have helped her cope through difficult times. She also came to realize that anxiety and stress are universal experiences. She put that insight to work. “I found that implementing gratitude is a way of addressing anxiety,” she says.
Working with Case Accelerator Director Yolanda Lau ’98, Dela Cruz developed the program to simultaneously raise environmental awareness and help students’ mental well-being. “The goal was to have students from as many classes as possible write or draw letters,” she says. The senior loved seeing how gratitude had the ability to inspire students to perform environmental stewardship in their own communities.
“Mari is the kind of student who inspires us with her selflessness and dedication to use her strengths to do what is right,” says Class of 2026 Dean Jonah Ka‘akua ’97. “We talk to our students about what it means to live pono, and Mari has transcended words into impactful action through her commitment to environmental awareness and sustainability.”
Reflecting on the Aloha ‘Āina Ambassadors student letters, Dela Cruz recalls a drawing of the Ko‘olau and ‘ōhi‘a lehua. “For me it really stood out – I could tell the student really put effort into the drawing and she wrote that her action would be to remove invasive species. It really showed me that she appreciated beauty and our unique biodiversity. The letter really touched me.”
