Program Details - Environmental Leadership in Hawaii

A Science & Culture Program for High School Students - April 2-9, 2010

Leadership in Hawaii Students Engage in Learning about the Environment

In April of 2010, the Brown Leadership Institute will return to the Big Island of Hawaii to study its ecological and social systems. Students will study the island's biological, ecological and cultural diversity through a core curriculum of marine science, volcanology and island culture in a program led by Hawaii’s leading scientists, cultural leaders, and environmental experts.

The Big Island of Hawaii contains the world's greatest concentration of climate types in one relatively small area. Hawaii has 11 of the world's 13 climate zones in just over 4,000 square miles of terrain, from dry, coastal, desert to some of the wettest spots on earth, snow-capped mountains and coral reef systems. It is a living laboratory that allows students to study a wide variety of unique ecosystems and the human cultures that have flourished there.

Approximately 1,500 years ago Polynesian voyagers sailed thousands of miles to the islands using the stars, waves, wind and birds as their primary navigational tools. Since then the island has been a rich mix of traditions, languages and practices from the Polynesian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, American and European cultures.

Our program focuses on the interdependence of land, sea, and the life systems they support.

The first half of this course will take place in Volcanoes National Park, where students will explore the dynamic geological processes which continue to shape the island.

The second part of the program is based on the beach south of Kona providing the perfect site for investigating marine life and the ways in which the sea has transformed life on the Island.

Brown has partnered with The Kohala Center to offer this competitive program for exceptionally motivated pre-college students with interests in science, leadership, and cultural studies. The Kohala Center links together a diverse network of Island-based institutions with expertise in the physical and cultural sciences, politics, education, and history. Brown University and The Kohala Center are committed to helping Hawaii Island residents preserve and enhance the intellectual, cultural, and natural assets of the Island.

In this course, students will:

  • Investigate the geological processes which form the chain of Hawaiian islands
  • Explore native Hawaiian culture, traditions and legends by spending time with hula instructors, musicians, local botanists and story tellers
  • Hike through Volcano National Ppark and observe steam vents, lava tubes, calderas and kipukas
  • Observe the lava flow at night-(depends on weather and lava flow)
  • Be welcomed at the Kilauea Volcano through a traditional Hawaiian ritual
  • Hike through dramatic rainforests and learn about the geological forces which shape this coast line.
  • Explore the differences in climate as we drive from rainforests to savannahs and observe changes in vegetation and wildlife
  • Kayak and snorkel and observe the amazing biodiversity of a coral reef
  • Study coral reef systems and the creatures that inhabit them
  • Meet with Kupunas (native Hawaiian elders) who will discuss the impact of colonization, sugar plantations, and development on the Island

Accommodations

For the first part of the course, students will stay at Volcanoes National Park at the Kilauea Military Camp. The camp has large bunk rooms and small cabins. Students will have access to showers, toilets and a modern cafeteria.

For the second part of the course, students will camp on the beach of Ke'i, south of Kona. Students will sleep in tents on the beach and food will be prepared by our staff. This site is fairly rustic, but you will have access to showers and toilet facilities. You must provide your own sleeping bag, mat and pillow.