Jordan Delos Reyes-Kaplan presents a slideshow at a leadership workshop.
Living to serve often begins like a seed. It needs the right conditions to sprout and thrive. Jordan Delos Reyes-Kaplan, an FFA Alumnus from Keaʻau, Hawaiʻi, exemplifies this growth.
Unexpected Beginnings
Reyes-Kaplan was placed in an agriculture class during the 2021-22 school year after a schedule change placed him in unfamiliar territory. That unexpected shift became the starting point for his leadership and community service.
His journey began with a field trip led by his advisor Terence Moniz. Reyes-Kaplan and his classmates traveled to Mauna Kea, where they outplanted Māmane trees. This hands-on experience inspired Reyes-Kaplan to pursue conservation and encouraged him to join FFA.
Discovering Leadership
Early in his involvement, Moniz recognized Reyes-Kaplan’s natural talent for public speaking. “When we did our quarterly presentations in front of the class,” Moniz recalled, “I noticed Jordan had a natural ability to speak in front of a crowd. He was engaging and entertaining.”
Reyes-Kaplan stepped into leadership by serving as chapter vice president in 2022. He participated in a variety of community service projects, including supporting a local game bird program and annually contributing to endemic outplantings where they planted hundreds of saplings on Mauna Kea, one of the tallest mountains on Earth.
Expanding Impact
He also joined the Ulu Hou team, a grant-funded initiative by Kamehameha Schools. In this program, Native Hawaiians developed value-added products using canoe crops such as taro, pig, sweet potato, and many more.
That summer, Reyes-Kaplan earned a position at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in the natural resource management division. Although the program typically accepted only juniors and seniors, Mr. Moniz advocated for Jordan’s inclusion. Reyes-Kaplan became the first sophomore accepted into the program.
Statewide Leadership and Lasting Impact
During his junior year, Reyes-Kaplan rose to chapter president. While leading his chapter, he organized a community event with another club called “Sustainable Saturday.” This event invited the community to trade their cardboard in exchange for local produce, and the cardboard was processed into planting pots. Meanwhile, the national park retained him from his sophomore year through graduation, recognizing his dedication and impact. During his senior year of high school, Reyes-Kaplan took his leadership to the state level when he became the Hawaii FFA state secretary. He was no longer serving just his local community; he was now representing his entire state.
Keaʻau High FFA Sustainable Saturday group photo. (Reyes-Kaplan is positioned above the Y in Saturday.)
In the fall of 2025, Reyes-Kaplan started his first semester at Hawaiʻi Community College. He is majoring in tropical ecosystems and agroforestry management. He is now working as a field and lab assistant at the Indigenous Cropping Systems Laboratory, continuing his commitment to conservation and cultural stewardship.
Reyes-Kaplan encourages others to join FFA, stating, “FFA gave me the life skills and knowledge to do the jobs I do, like resource management and now lab assistant.” He also emphasized the community aspect of FFA, highlighting that “Networking through FFA was definitely a noteworthy experience; you get to meet a diverse group of people who all want to perpetuate the same goal from all over the country.”
From a chance placement in an agriculture, food, and natural resources class to a purposeful path leading to a career in conservation, Reyes-Kaplan continues to grow roots in service. Serving as living proof that leadership can bloom anywhere.
