From soil to crown: UH Mānoa alumna digs deep for pageant success

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumna India Kawelolani Calso Ching is blending soil science with cultural pride as the newly crowned Miss Oʻahu Filipina. Her journey from studying soil health at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to earning this year’s Miss Oʻahu Filipina title is a study in personal growth and community.

Ching majored in natural resources and environmental management at CTAHR, with a focus in plant conservation and ecosystem management. However, a soil science class provided new perspectives.

“There’s so much about soils that I never knew before,” Ching said, noting that the class revealed “the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soil” and the “huge diversity of soils that we have here in Hawaiʻi.”

After graduating from UH Mānoa, her newfound interest led to her work as a laboratory technician in the soil health lab. She’s currently working on an artificial intelligence-driven farm irrigation project.

Challenging herself to grow

Just as she stepped out of her comfort zone to study soil health, Ching also challenged herself to grow entering a pageant for the first time. While many people see pageants as just a beauty contest, she discovered it was much more than that.

“It’s totally about developing your public speaking skills, being more immersed in your culture, and becoming the best version of yourself,” she said.

Her pageant platforms centered on food security and dance, a topic sparked by her CTAHR education. Ching’s pageant speech highlighted the importance of agriculture and food security, aiming to educate youth and honor the legacy of her great-grandfather, who was a “sakada,” or Filipino plantation laborer who laid the foundation for the Filipino community in Hawaiʻi.

Ching will compete for the Miss Hawaiʻi Filipina title on August 9, representing Oʻahu amid contestants from other islands.