Students cleared stream mouths, repaired fencing damaged by heavy rains, and learned traditional weaving techniques during June and July through the Summer Institute P¨¡pala Lele Early College Internship, hosted by . The five-week paid program engaged 10 high school and college students in hands-on conservation work, combining field experiences with three college credits while introducing participants to careers in natural resource management, food security and environmental stewardship.
For intern Kyra Tubon, the program provided a vital connection to her culture. She plans to study botany and environmental science at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹.
“On Kauaʻi, it’s really hard to find Native and Indigenous people who know their culture and practice it,” Tubon said. “Having programs where even our keiki can come and learn is amazing because we don’t know what to do or where to go if we don’t have the people who already know it. Hopefully, we can continue to pass that knowledge down.”
M¨¡lama ʻ¨¡ina
Interns learned directly from community experts representing Kauaʻi CC‘s (an enrichment program for Native Hawaiian students) and (a federally funded student support program), (a non-profit that cares for the natural and cultural resources within the ±á¨¡ʻ±ð²Ô²¹ State Park) and . Working in ±á¨¡ʻ±ð²Ô²¹, they gained firsthand experience in how community organizations collaborate to m¨¡lama ʻ¨¡ina (care for the land).
N¨¡ Pua Noʻeau Program Coordinator M¨¡lia Chun said the internship showcases the power of collaboration among ʻ¨¡¾±²Ô²¹-²ú²¹²õ±ð»å organizations working toward a shared vision. The program also helps students connect their passion for the environment with future careers by introducing them to professionals already working in conservation, restoration and resource management.
“This internship provides a foundation, or a kahua, of traditional knowledge and Hawaiian ways of stewardship while also exposing the interns to modern Western tools of conservation,” Chun said. “That combination of knowledge is what will carry us into the future. Our students are learning to build solutions that will benefit this community while addressing the challenges we face today.”
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—By Caitlin Fowlkes