Lana'i Youth Delegation to Youth Leadership Summit

for Sustainable Development * 2014

Youth Delegates: Brooklyn Bradford, Emma de Brum, Adriana Sanches

Emerging Leader: Lucy Gaceta Advisor: Karen deBrum

The Institute's 10th Annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development was dedicated to oceans. It was held on the island of Martha's Vineyard from June 21-27, 2014. Lanai youth were joined with delegates and alumni from all the Institute's five other island youth leadership initiatives. The common thread between all our islands is the ocean. Islands are a microcosm for the planet -- "the canary in the coal mine" - on the front line of climate change and global economy. We are united in the question: "How might we build more sustainable islands and ocean world?"

Martha's Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative youth delegates welcomed everyone to their island. Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative Alumni Kassandra Castillo, now with a Business/Fashion Industry start-up in New York City. Virgin Gorda Youth Leadership Initiative founding member, Feliza Fenty is now Public Affairs Director for Ministry of Natural Resources of the British Virgin Islands. SHYLI-Hawaii emerging leader Makana Tavares is now a Brown University cultural anthropology major. In 2013, Makana helped launch SHYLI-Lanai at the Lana'i Culture & Heritage Center: watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iJRKawqc1w

Worldwide Voyaging Hokule'a in Tahiti

One of the highlights One of the highlights of the Summit was learning about the Worldwide Voyaging Hokule'a. Thanks to technology, we "Google chatted" with crew member Jenna Ishi after their first leg while docked in Tahiti. Youth were fascinated to hear about shared her amazing experience using only a sextant and stars to navigate for this 3-year sailing journey around the world. The Polynesian Voyaging Society is committed to building upon ancient wisdom and modern technology, gathering stories of stewardship - and to develop the next generation of voyagers. Captain Nainoa Thompson promised his cousin author and filmmaker Sam Low that he would bring the Hokule'a to Martha's Vineyard in 2017.

During this weeklong intensive training, youth (ages 14-18) envision and create action plans to realize their dreams for their lives, islands, and the world. Thanks to the inspiring presentations by local, national and global ocean leaders - they learn about best practices from other islands and develop Ocean Sustainability-In Action Projects for the coming year.

"I learned so much that will help me help my island with sustainability and help me with my future life goals," says Brooklyn Bradford. "It truly was a life-changing experience for me. I look forward to helping the environment and helping my island become more self sustainable!"

Sustainable Vineyard Tour

The Summit begins with a Sustainable Tour, where youth delegates travel to meet Island leaders and see sustainability initiatives. We start with a reflective walk on Lucy Vincent Beach where youth find special stones and design a beach mural to represent the ocean. They visit with Wampanoag entrepreneur Juli Vanderhoop at Orange Peel Bakery who shared her journey home; and Nick Turner at Honeysuckle Oyster Farm shared his ocean adventures and Keith Wilda at Thimble Farms who shared his vision and progress for feeding Island school children. "Thimble Farm is a great example for my island in learning about agriculture," said Emma de Brum. "If our high school on Lanai focused on Aquaponics, Thimble Farm would be a great example for them to look up to."

Sunday was a spectacular day, highlighted by a private tour with Island legend Matthew Stockpole on the oldest surviving merchant vessel the Charles W. Morgan and a rowboat paddle around the Vineyard Harbor. "I enjoyed the Charles W. Morgan," says Adriana Sanches. "We got a private tour of the ship which was really cool. Rowing for me wasn't too difficult because I am used to paddling."

Opening Ceremonies

For our Opening Ceremonies SHYLI Alumni Makana Tavares taught a Hawaiian chant. We read official letters from Governors and Senators. We honored our cultures, and welcomed our newest flag with Emma from the Marshall Islands. "It was a privilege welcome youth delegates from Hawaii," said Summit Co-Director Elise Quebec. "There culture is so unique to our country and it is important that we as fellow Americans are aware of this so we can learn and be mindful of the world. When Makana led a chant in her native Hawaiian tongue, you felt the passion and joy in her voice. It was the first time many of us had this exposure. They gave us the memory of a lifetime!"

d.school: Institute of Design at Stanford

Ian Kitajima led a Design Thinking (DT) workshop to encourage delegates to think outside of the box; the power of understanding human centered design; creating and prototyping models to apply to challenges facing our Islands. As the Senior Vice President at Hawaii's Corporate STEM Award Winning Oceanit and founder of Design Thinking Hawaii, Ian is a partner with the Institute's SHYLI's Design Sustainable Hawaii Forum. Everyone was inspired by the video featuring Lucy Gaceta using DT tools to develop Sustainability-In-Action Projects.

SHYLI Design Sustainable Hawaii Forum VIDEO Watch it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG4NRoVoTkI

Featured on TV:

* Maui/Lanai: Akaku Maui Community Television

* Hawaii: Na Leo O Hawai'i, Inc.

* Oahu: Olelo TV

SHYLI Lanai Emerging Leader Lucy Gaceta

Lucy made an impactful presentation on SHYLI-Lanai and the importance of building a community through youth empowerment. She shared her journey from a youth delegate with Daniel Forsythe to be the first SHYLI-Lanai Fellows who developed Sustainability-In-Action Projects, mentored by David Palumbo for SHYLI's Job Shadow Day and now has a full time job with Pulama Lanai's Nursery. "The best part of the Summit happens in the break out groups," says Lucy. "It was here that I, and other Lanai youth got to learn from the different walks of life. Very cool."

What is Your Professional Dream?

Youth delegates learned about what it takes to make dream come true by listening to invigorating presentations. Each afternoon, they met in Professional Development Workgroups to explore their career options with the Summit Faculty: STEM/Business/Media * Environmental Science * Psychology * Business, Fashion/ Entrepreneurship * International Development. They wove their skills and interests into a 5-year action plan: "What might your life look like in 2019?

We need a student body that truly understands and wants to engage in the global implications of preservation, conservation, and sustainability initiatives. SHYLI is science, research and creative/critical thinking in practice -- and ongoing which is what makes all the difference in engagement. SHYLI is directly tied to both STEM and the Common Core curriculum that LHES is working so hard to develop. Students have to read, research, collaborate on, write, and present their findings to both on and off-island peers, outsiders, and professionals in the fields they are studying. This contributes to their success in the classroom as well as their college and career readiness. It can even become the focus of their senior project. The biggest challenge I face as a teacher on Lanai since 1995 is trying to motivate our students to engage in issues, ideas and conversations that require them to think and explore beyond Lana'i's perimeters. Having extremely limited exposure to any industry or career opportunities besides education and hospitality severely restricts our students' vision of their future. The SHYLI-Lanai program can expand this limited view by engaging students in real-life science, technology, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking experiences that require them to study the most critical environmental and sustainability issues facing Lana'i today. Our students experience and learn about technology and research surrounding issues Lana'i is grappling with, like protecting fresh water resources, protecting the ocean environment, sustainable energy solutions, and more. These experiences have a huge impact on their education and the LHES school culture. My former students Lucy and Daniel have come alive as a result of their work with SHYLI. Lucy, especially, has begun to dream of a different future for herself and for Lana'i. The potential is fantastic! It makes a tremendous difference for our students and for our island.

Karen de Brum, NBCT, LHES Language Arts

Ocean Sustainability * 2014

The Institute was honored to attend Secretary Kerry's Our Oceans Conference with world leaders in Washington D.C.

Our future depends on the ability of your generation to recognize the imminent need for sustainable development across all fronts. We need as many voices as possible, contributing solutions that will make a difference. I support your voices to be heard! Our task is a difficult one, but with young, inspired leaders like you, willing to lead the fight, I have no doubt we will prevail.

Secretary John Kerry's Message to Summit Youth Delegates

SHYLI-Lana'i youth delegate Emma de Brum presented: Changing the Way We Think About Water on Islands. "Water shortages are common on islands - from the Marshall Islands to Lana'i where the stream Maunalei is now dry," she explained. "There are desalination plants in 120 countries, from Italy, India, Greece to Japan." Emma shared plans for the proposed Desal plant on Lana'i, adding it is an important contribution to sustainable agriculture. Brooklyn Bradford & Adriana Sanches presented Beach Sustainability. "Every year over 100 million marine animals are killed by debris," they said. "The 2011 Tsunami in Japan debris washes ashore on Lana'i and Hawaiian islands." Their Sustainability In-Action Project goal is to recruit 40-50 young volunteers to pick up trash once a month on their local beaches.

Elise Quebec's presentation, One Ocean highlighted innovative ocean solutions - from Barbuda Blue Halo Initiative to California Academy of Sciences Marine Expedition Highlights of Protected Areas; to the EPA's Halish Sea Ecosystem with Environmental Canada Pacific Yukon; to NOAA's Sustainable Fisheries Success Story to Project Catalyst in Queensland, Australia that reduced nutrient pollution in Great Barrier Reef by 60%!

Alexis Valauri-Orton was the youngest speaker at the Our Oceans Conference. Last year she traveled on a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to Norway, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Peru to investigate stories of ocean acidification. Her stories included the booming scallop industry in Peru, the backbone of the region's economy. Alexis encouraged youth to incorporate "green thinking" into careers from social sciences, natural sciences to policy, advocacy, education; business, marketing, and finance. She works with Global Ocean Health and Ocean Conservancy.

Feliza Fenty joined via skype from the British Virgin Islands. As a teenager with VGYLI, Feliza was reluctant to explore the coral reefs and see first hand the bleaching from increasing temperatures in the Caribbean. Now she realizes the importance on the future of her islands. Feliza is actively involved with the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and their upcoming conference on Samoa. 2014 is the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Ocean Sustainability In-Action Project * 2014

At each Summit, youth brainstorm ideas for projects for their islands. "Brooklyn and Adriana shared how their island of Lanai was deeply affected by debris from the tsunami in Japan," says Summit Co-Director Elise Quebec. "The thought of this mass pollution inspired all island youth delegates to join together for a major beach cleanup day where they will invite everyone to collect trash to help protect our beaches." Our Ocean Sustainability-In-Action Project is in partnership with Ocean Conservancy and International Coastal Cleanup Initiative on September 20.

SHYLI-Lanai is grateful for everyone's support

for our continuing work with Lanai youth.

Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Initiative-Lanai
SHYLI-Lanai is a project of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute,
a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1997.
www.shyli.org/lanai * www.soup4worldinstitute.com