Healing through community, nature, & service.
Mana O Maui runs free outdoor programs for Maui youth. We surf, we hike, and we learn the places we go and how to care for them. Time outside builds confidence, resilience, and a real connection to this island. We provide transportation, gear, and food, so that cost and logistics never keep a family out.
25 years in the water.
One bigger mission.
Dustin Tester has spent 25 years empowering young women through surfing on Maui. As founder of Maui Surfer Girls in 2001, celebrated last summer, she witnessed firsthand how the ocean builds confidence, resilience, and identity in ways few other experiences can.
She also saw a deepening need. Maui's youth, especially girls ages 11 to 17, were navigating rising rates of anxiety, depression, and disconnection, with limited access to mental health support that felt culturally grounded and genuinely accessible.
In 2023, Dustin founded Mana O Maui, weaving together Hawaiian cultural education, adventure learning, and time in the ocean into programs rooted in the place young people call home.
"When you give a kid the ocean, you give them something they carry forever — confidence, culture, and a sense of where they belong."
Dustin Tester · Founder, Mana O MauiOur
Programs
Mana O Maui runs free outdoor programs for Maui youth. We surf, we hike, and we learn the places we go and how to care for them. We provide transportation, gear, and food, so that cost and logistics never keep a family out.
Cultural Connection
Rooted in Hawaii surf culture and a deep respect for the land and ocean, our programs foster place-based learning and stewardship of the natural world young people call home.
Surf & Ocean Adventure
Build confidence and skills through surfing, paddling, and ocean safety. Time in the water builds resilience, joy, and a lifelong relationship with the sea.
Leadership & Growth
Gain life skills and mentorship from experienced guides, developing the inner strength, purpose, and community connection to become tomorrow's leaders.
Our programs are free. No Maui family is turned away due to cost, and we provide transportation, gear, and food so getting there is never the obstacle.
Surf-N-Turf Afterschool Program
A free weekly afterschool program for Maui youth ages 11 to 17. Each week the group heads out together to surf or hike, and we provide transportation, gear, and food so no family is priced out. Time outside is what changes things for these kids. They come back calmer and more confident.
Dates
Sept 9, 16, 23, 30
Day & Time
Wednesdays, 1 to 5 PM
Ages
11 to 17
Group Size
Max 12 per session
Where
Ukumehame, Guardrails, or ʻĪao Valley
Cost
FREE
Day Schedule
Pick up and drop off spots can shift a little to work for Central Maui families. Let us know what you need.
What to expect
Wahine Rite of Passage
A weekend in Haleakalā Crater for girls ages 13 to 17. We hike in, camp a night under some of the darkest skies anywhere, and hike out the next day. Free, thanks to the generosity of our funders and donors.
Dates
October 3 to 4, 2026
Who
Girls, ages 13 to 17
Length
One weekend, one night camping
Where
Haleakalā Crater, Holua Campsite
Pre-Trip Meeting
Wednesday, September 30
Cost
FREE
The Weekend
Meeting spot and full schedule go out to families after registration.
What to expect
Gear
We provide: tents, backpacks, camping stove, food, and transportation.
She brings: a compactible sleeping bag, hiking boots, head lamp, warm clothes, and a water bottle. Need any of it? Tell us and we can arrange to borrow.
We listen, we learn,
we grow.
At the start and end of every session, our keiki take a moment to reflect. How are you feeling? How confident do you feel trying something new? How connected do you feel to the people around you? These simple check-ins give us a window into each young person's experience and help us show up better every time. We are in our first season of gathering these reflections and already learning what questions land, what needs refining, and what Maui youth are telling us about healing through nature. We are committed to growing this practice alongside our programs.
See Our Impact →"She comes home with a joyful sense of confidence and complete contentment with her day. This is a gift."
Surf-N-Turf Parent · Spring 2026"You can genuinely see how much they care about what they do. They create a space where children feel encouraged, supported, and proud of themselves."
Surf-N-Turf Parent · Spring 2026
Before and After
Keiki reflect at the start and end of every session. Simple questions, honest answers, real insights that shape how we design each experience.
Family Voices
Parents and guardians share what they notice at home. Their observations help us see the full picture of each young person's growth beyond the session.
Always Improving
Our first season taught us a lot about how to ask better questions and design better experiences. Every session makes us smarter and our programs stronger.
Reflections are gathered with full family consent and used only to serve our keiki better. We are a pilot program in our first years and proud to be building this practice from the ground up.
Help us empower the next generation of island leaders.
Mana O Maui is a pilot in its first years. We are building something real, carefully, and with deep roots in this community. Every contribution goes directly to getting Maui youth into the ocean, onto the land, and into their own strength.
25 years of trust. Built on the foundation of Maui Surfer Girls, our gear, our teachers, and our community relationships are already in place.
Transparent and accountable. Grant-funded, 501(c)(3) verified, and committed to spending every dollar where it counts.
No family is turned away. All programs are free or subsidized for Maui youth regardless of financial situation.
Keep Mana O Maui in the Water
Support free Surf-N-Turf programming, staff, gear, and the operations that keep Maui kids in the ocean every Wednesday.
The Robin Jugl Memorial Fund
Send a Maui teen to Maui Surfer Girls camp. Donations pool until a full scholarship is funded.
Partner
Organizations
We are proud to work alongside these incredible Maui organizations — raising funds for scholarships, co-creating outdoor programs, and building a stronger community for our kamaʻāina residents. Together we go further.
Maui Surfer Girls
Founding PartnerOver 25 years running overnight surf camps for teenage girls and women on Maui. Their sleep-away camp programming empowers young girls and women through surfing — whether catching waves or hiking through the West Maui Mountains, campers gain confidence in their personal strengths and abilities.
Visit Maui Surfer Girls
Kelea Foundation
Community PartnerA Maui-based nonprofit dedicated to making sports and the ocean accessible to all. Their Girls in the Lineup program uses water and land sports — surf, SUP, and swim — to build sisterhood, purpose, and community connection for school-aged girls.
Visit Kelea Foundation
Surfing Moms
Community PartnerStarted in 2018 as a grassroots initiative in Kailua, Surfing Moms launched nationally in 2021. Their signature Surf-Swap program pairs mothers who take turns watching each other's kids so each gets time in the water — building community and supporting maternal wellness through the ocean.
Visit Surfing Moms
Adaptive Maui
Community PartnerA Maui-based nonprofit bringing together adaptive and able-bodied athletes to make Hawaii's outdoors accessible to everyone. Working with local businesses, athletes, and the County of Maui to create programs and events that promote strong, healthy, self-determined humans regardless of physical challenges.
Visit Adaptive MauiInterested in partnering with Mana O Maui? We are always looking to grow our network of organizations committed to Maui's youth and community.
Get in TouchMeet
Our Team
Every member of our team brings deep roots in Maui, outdoor education, and therapeutic practice. Together we are building something lasting for the next generation of island youth.
Dustin Tester
Executive DirectorFounder
A lifelong adventurer and entrepreneur with over 23 years in business and two Maui Chamber of Commerce small business awards. Dustin brings talented teams together to empower youth through nature and healing on her home island of Maui.
Julia Hengst, LMFT
LMFTPresident
Psychotherapist with over 10 years of practice in Maui and Berkeley. Background in Buddhist Psychology and Shamanic Counseling. Avid surfer with 25 years of study in Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
Alissa Magrum
M.S. Org. LeadershipTreasurer
25 years of nonprofit management experience. Master's in Organizational Leadership and Ethics. A passionate believer in water as a healing tool and dedicated steward of the Maui community.
Dr. Megan McClelland
Ph.D.Secretary
Katherine E. Smith Professor at Oregon State University. Endowed Director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families. Maui born and raised, her research focuses on children's self-regulation and long-term development.
Celine Adair
B.A. Wilderness TherapyAssistant Secretary
Professional guide, surf instructor, therapist, and clinical supervisor. Co-founder of Education Without Walls and the National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education. Prescott College and Argosy University graduate.
Li Hay
Team MemberProgram Staff
Bio coming soon.