HANA - East Maui's youngest builders and their first-time work with bamboo construction will be featured on national TV this spring, The Maui News reported Monday.

For years, Rick Rutiz and students in the Hana School Building Program Ma Ka Hana Ke 'Ike ("in working, one learns") have impressed their community, their families and their friends with projects ranging from an alternative energy demonstration lab to a new counseling office to much-needed wheelchair ramps for kupuna in their homes.

One high school senior was given the gift of his own cottage after graduation, and the Native Hawaiian community got a separate and private place for a healing room, for lomilomi and other health programs.

The building project - in operation since 2001 - and its accomplishments recently got the attention of the producers for "Renovation Nation," a TV program on the Discovery Network's Planet Green. Steve Thomas, the former host of Public Broadcasting Service's "This Old House," visited Rutiz and his students in January and worked with them to build the program's offices and workshop with bamboo in just two days.

The project gave the program a chance to use bamboo as a certifiable construction material for the first time. The show is scheduled to air sometime this spring.

Meanwhile, the Hana building program is helping to realize senior Uila Eleogram's dreams to become a carpenter after high school.

"When I get older, I can build my own home," he said.

Born and reared in Hana, Eleogram said he found it "kind of weird" to have cameras following him and his classmates around while working with bamboo construction. "I'm not used to it," he said, adding that he's never even seen the TV show.

Rutiz will need to borrow a TV since he hasn't sat down in front of one for years.

A builder by trade, Rutiz said building with bamboo was a first for him. For the last seven years, Rutiz and his students have used conventional building materials with stick framing and posts and beams.

"It's basically relying on products that have to travel through the ocean," Rutiz said.

Their latest project, a bamboo building kit, was shipped to Hana from Vietnam. The students built the foundation of their workshop and program office with concrete, and then bolted parts of a bamboo kit together to build a roof and the walls of their structure.

"The hardest part was lifting the pieces together," said Ikaika Kaina, a 2001 Hana High School graduate who is employed by Rutiz to help with the building projects.

Kaina had been involved in Rutiz's earliest program ventures, such as the custodian shop addition and the construction of a counselor's office on the Hana High and Elementary School campus.

"It's like 'wow,' '' Kaina said about working with bamboo. "It was different."

Kamalu Fernandez, a 17-year-old senior at Hana High School, said he hopes to be a musician one day.

"If that doesn't work out for me, then I can do this," he said, pointing to the building program. "This is the only other thing I have in my life."

Fernandez said he found the bamboo construction project interesting, but he's decided that he prefers dealing with nails and wood instead of bamboo and bolts. "There's more creativity in the construction," he said.

Whatever the material used, Fernandez said he gets satisfaction from completing any project. "It makes me feel like I put my hand in the plow. I've helped my community become a better place."

"Renovation Nation" producer Douglas Glazer said Rutiz's building program is impressive in many ways, from the variety of building materials he uses to the multitude of projects that have been done.

"We love the idea that these kids are learning skills and that they can give back to their community," Glazer said.

Lyman Diego, a 24-year-old who graduated from Hana High in 2002, initially went into auto body work at Maui Community College. He has since returned home to Hana to work for the building program and help younger students with construction projects.

"At least they learn the principles of working hard. We try to instill that in them. It's not just about building something but learning about what it means to work hard," Diego said.

Rutiz said his idea behind the building program has always been about building students and their self-worth.

"We're not about construction," he said. "When the kids do this, they light up and we want them to learn they can work hard and accomplish something great. This gives them a chance to shine, be successful."

Aside from finishing up on their bamboo workshop, the students this month will have completed the refurbishing of an old doctor's home that will be used to house dialysis services for Hana patients.

Hana High and Elementary School Principal Rick Paul said he had doubts about the building program initially; but has since learned the students produce quality projects that meet construction standards.

He said he has been especially impressed with community service projects.

"We can't give back money. It's very hard for the school to repay funds. But this allows us to give to our community."

The bamboo construction project involved about 40 people, including 25 students and 15 community members who assisted.

Liloa Lecker-Tolentino, an 18-year-old who graduated last spring, is assisting the building program to save money to return to college. "We all kind of teach each other," he said.

"Giving your best is what's important," Rutiz said. "I could care less if they become carpenters."

"They learn that giving, kokua, is important, and they pick up skills in craftsmanship and work ethic. All of these are things you might not be able to pick up in the classroom."

* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.