Papahānaumokuākea ‘Ahahui Alaka‘i

Overview…
A 10-day experiential leadership program Papahānaumokuākea ‘Ahahui Alaka‘i (PAA)that bridges together teachers, business people, policy-makers as well as potential community leaders interested in learning and being inspired by science and traditional knowledge management practices is being sponsored by staff of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Monument).  This workshop will bring together a broad range of interests and knowledge to ultimately inspire active stewardship of natural and cultural resources by participants within their home communities. ‘Ahahu‘i refers to society, club or association.  Alaka’i is Hawaiian for ambassador or leader. The Hawaiian word /acronym PAA (Pa‘a) Pameans steadfast, learned, determined, strong, to hold, keep, retain.

The Monument co-trustee agencies (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Hawai‘i) will select a group of up to 12 people to participate.  The first three days will be spent on O‘ahu in Hawai‘i preparing, learning natural and cultural history, practicing with available technology and getting to know the other participants.  The remaining seven days will be spent on remote Midway Atoll located 1,250 miles northwest of Honolulu within the Monument.  On the atoll participants will be surrounded by millions of nesting seabirds on small islets surrounded by an incredible assemblage of marine wildlife.  In this living laboratory participants will be immersed in a variety of activities using traditional knowledge, science methodology, island conservation and resource management practices while building upon their plans to navigate change back home. Back

Who May Apply
PAA accepts nominations from educators in formal and informal settings, community leaders, as well as people in positions that support community change and stewardship.  We are seeking participants who are active in their communities that will promote stewardship and lead people to action.  In each group, we will be seeking a balance of different professions, skills and understandings.  We will be looking for a combination of formal teachers from schools, informal educators such as interpreters in national parks, as well as community and business leaders that want to affect environmental awareness and inspire people to take action.  We are also seeking people in each group for that have traditional ecological knowledge and cultural understanding of Oceania and Hawai‘i.  Both American and international nominees are welcome. Back

Life on Midway
Midway Atoll: Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and the Battle of Midway National Memorial are part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.  The atoll includes three small islands – Sand Island, Eastern Island, and Spit Island – in an encircling protective coral reef.  Midway Atoll is an unincorporated territory of the United States.  The atoll and its surrounding waters is the only area within the Hawaiian archipelago that is not part of the State of Hawai‘i.

Midway still maintains and uses some of the infrastructure that once housed military servicemen and women.  Although there are some paved roads all transportation is by foot or bicycle.  For an extra charge, golf carts may be available.  Renovated bachelor officers’ quarters offer the same amenities as a comfortable small town motel complete with towel/sheets and individual bathrooms or at the minimum a bathroom is shared with one other room.  Air conditioning and heating units are available as necessary.  In addition, plenty of fresh food is served from a small cafeteria-style restaurant. Back

However comfortable the amenities might seem, it is crucial to note:

** Midway Atoll has minimal medical facilities available and no doctors.  If serious medical attention is needed, it will be a minimum of 5 hours to fly to the nearest hospital and potentially could be much longer.

** Life on Midway Atoll can be very unpredictable.  Flexibility and the ability to cope with uncertainty of airplane departures and arrivals, day-to-day schedules as well as very windy and possibly rainy weather conditions are crucial to the character of those who go.  In other words, a “go with the flow” attitude is essential.  

Costs and Transportation
Food, lodging and transportation costs are covered during the seven day segment of the trip to Midway including air transportation between Honolulu, Hawai’i and Midway Atoll.  Currently a private G-1 Gulfstream aircraft is the contracted carrier and can hold only a maximum of 15 passengers along with luggage capacity limited to 40 lbs each.  The flight can be delayed pending weather conditions and will take about 5 hours each way.  Costs for flights to Honolulu from other islands, the mainland, or other countries, are not covered by this program.

Food, lodging and transportation costs are not covered for the three days of the program on O’ahu.  Some bunk-style accommodations may be available. 

Spending money in small denominations for Midway Atoll is advisable for purchasing items at a small gift store and convenience store on the island (similar to a poorly stocked gas station), and at Captain Brooks (small bar).  No ATM machine is available on the island and credit cards and debit cards are not accepted. Back

Day to Day Program
Before leaving for Midway the group will spend three days on O`ahu preparing for their trip.  These three days will give participants a chance to learn from and get to know each other, introduce them to the natural and human history in the Monument, preview participant projects, conduct water safety evaluations and learn Hawaiian protocols and cultural practices.

The work you will be involved in on Midway is pending upon what management activities are currently taking place at the time and will more than likely include invasive species eradication, out-planting native plants, and setting up marine transects to assess the underwater world.  You will also have the opportunity to analyze and then strategize what day to day living practices would lighten your human imprint on such a remote and fragile place. Implementing this program as green friendly as possible will help us assess our own impacts back home.

This once in a lifetime experience will inspire and help you carry out your stewardship/action plans.  It will also help you articulate how your own community is connected to the Monument and demonstrate ways to help ensure the protection of the Monument in perpetuity.

Criteria for Selection
To be considered you will be expected to:

• Be currently active as either,
  An educator in a formal or informal setting,
  A community leader, or
  In a position that supports community change & stewardship.
• Provide evidence of past stewardship/action plans and their success.
  Have three letters of support from a principal, supervisor, or community that are supportive of your endeavor.
  Have English language ability.
  Be comfortable with travel and have no aversions to traveling by small air or water craft
• Have a passport that is valid through July 2009.

Although not a selection criteria we strongly suggest you consider that limited the medical facilities on the Island (see: Life on Midway).
Back

Obligations as an Alaka`i

As a participant, you must be willing to fulfill several program requirements during and upon completion of the trip to Midway:

• Submit 3 journal entries with digital photographs during your experience on Midway.
• Submit all photos and video collected during your trip to the Monument, edited, with key words, and titles.
• Provide copies of any derived materials – PowerPoints, movies, slideshows, PodCasts, etc to the Monument to use at their discretion.
• Either be willing to be interviewed by media coordinated by the Monument or seek out media opportunities regarding your expedition in your home communities.
• Give three community or professional presentations on your experience (within your community or elsewhere). And provide number of attendees and any feedback to the coordinators.
• Submit a stewardship/action plan relevant to your experiences in the Papahānaumokuākea MNM.
• Implement your stewardship action plan and submit one copy of the evaluation and its overall results.
• Participate in online collaboration with previous participants to share what you have done with your experience, and possibly participate in annual re-unions.
• If asked, be willing to assist with selection of the following year’s group of participants. Back

To Apply

Nomination forms are available by contacting Ann Bell, USFWS at FW1PIE_PAA@fws.gov, or calling (808) 792-9532.

Nominations can be submitted by sending a hard copy by mail to:

Linda Schubert
Papahānaumokuākea MNM / NOAA
308 Kamehameha Avenue, Suite 203
Hilo, Hawaii 96720

Nominations must be postmarked by January 2, 2009.

How many participants will there be?
Twelve participants will be selected.  This number is based on the number of passengers able to fit into the airplane going to Midway, and is currently not flexible.  We will also be selecting three substitute participants, who may join in the pre-trip preparations, and could fly to Midway if other participants cannot.

How will participants be chosen?
Participants will be chosen based on their written nominations, their letters of support, and their capacity to fulfill the program’s need for a strong variety of skills and abilities to create a balanced group.

Completed nominations will be reviewed by previous participants based on a rubric.  Top candidates will then go through a final review process by the agency staff to ensure the most balanced and largest pool of talents possible.

What is the rubric?
Each question will help us determine the candidates’ ability to fulfill requirements of participants.  The questions are not all weighed the same, with some having more of an influence than others.  The corresponding weight is listed on the nomination.

For additional information contact Linda Schubert at linda.schubert@noaa.gov, or call (808) 933-8181.

Back

*Program is contingent on available funding