“Climate change is the existential challenge of our time, but it also presents enormous opportunities for innovation and creative solutions. These are the very issues our Fellows will be grappling with.”
Michael E. Latham, Ph.D.
President, Punahou School
President, Punahou School
A first of its kind in the state, Punahou seeks to support rising student leaders from across Hawaiʻi in an innovative, solutions-oriented academic experience.
This program enables students to engage with sustainability challenges facing our local and global community and help them define their interests in higher education and potential future careers.
Fostering a More Sustainable Tomorrow
The Sustainability Fellowship offers participants a transformative educational experience focused on sustainability, leadership and innovation. The program is intended for approximately 20 students from across the State of Hawaiʻi, starting in the summer before their tenth and eleventh grades. Current ninth and tenth-grade students may apply for the Summer 2025 cohort.
The Sustainability Fellowship offers participants a transformative educational experience focused on sustainability, leadership and innovation. The program is intended for approximately 20 students from across the State of Hawaiʻi, starting in the summer before their tenth and eleventh grades. Current ninth and tenth-grade students may apply for the Summer 2025 cohort.
The program is free, and eligible students from all Hawai‘i public, independent and charter schools are encouraged to apply. Deadline to apply is January 10, 2025.
About the Program
The Fellowship is a 15-month program that begins the summer before a student’s tenth or eleventh grade and runs through the following summer.
Summer Session #1, June 9 – July 18, 2025
Students spend six weeks in the program with an expected commitment of six hours per day. They focus on sharpening critical-thinking skills by exploring essential questions around sustainability, engaging in experiential learning activities, and building relationships with community partners.
Intervening School Year (2025–26):
Fellows will meet monthly during the academic school year to receive mentoring. During the academic year, students will also pursue a research-based Sustainability Challenge Project, which will help them to define an essential topic that they will explore during the program’s second summer session.
Summer Session #2, June 8 – July 17, 2026
Fellows will reunite at the beginning of the summer for a unique educational trip to Hawaiʻi Island. There, they will engage in hands-on activities and place-based learning with partners on the island. Following this trip, Fellows will intern or volunteer for at least four weeks with a community partner/mentor who will support them to advance their Sustainability Challenge Project. They will also participate in regular seminar classes with their fellow cohort members. The program culminates with a public presentation of their challenge project.
Summer Session #1, June 9 – July 18, 2025
Students spend six weeks in the program with an expected commitment of six hours per day. They focus on sharpening critical-thinking skills by exploring essential questions around sustainability, engaging in experiential learning activities, and building relationships with community partners.
Intervening School Year (2025–26):
Fellows will meet monthly during the academic school year to receive mentoring. During the academic year, students will also pursue a research-based Sustainability Challenge Project, which will help them to define an essential topic that they will explore during the program’s second summer session.
Summer Session #2, June 8 – July 17, 2026
Fellows will reunite at the beginning of the summer for a unique educational trip to Hawaiʻi Island. There, they will engage in hands-on activities and place-based learning with partners on the island. Following this trip, Fellows will intern or volunteer for at least four weeks with a community partner/mentor who will support them to advance their Sustainability Challenge Project. They will also participate in regular seminar classes with their fellow cohort members. The program culminates with a public presentation of their challenge project.
Program Dates
- Summer 1: June 9 – July 18, 2025
- School Year 2025 – 2026 (monthly)
- Summer 2: June 8 – July 17, 2026
(Total Program Length: Approximately 15 Months)
Designed For
Students beginning summer before grades 10 and 11
Program Fees
Free
Students beginning summer before grades 10 and 11
Program Fees
Free
How to Apply
Students who are interested in applying will need to complete the following by January 10, 2025:
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Identify two teachers who can provide a recommendation on your behalf. You may also identify a teacher, mentor or coach who can provide a third, optional recommendation on your behalf.
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Teacher recommendation contact information form. To ensure your references have sufficient time to provide thoughtful recommendations, we kindly suggest submitting your reference contact information as early as possible. Notify the individuals you list that Punahou School will contact them via email with the recommendation form.
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Submit Online Application form.
If selected as a finalist, you will be notified by January 17, 2025 and expected to participate in an interview to take place during the week of January 20 – 24, 2025.
For questions, please email sustainability@punahou.edu.
For questions, please email sustainability@punahou.edu.
*We recommend completing the questions on a separate document as responses cannot be saved in the form.
Application Criteria
Strong applicants will demonstrate a commitment to the full two-summer and intervening school year program (total of approximately 15 months) and be able to explain how the fellowship aligns with their long-term commitment to sustainability. Competitive applicants will also demonstrate a strong academic record, exhibit a deep sense of curiosity, and demonstrate a strong interest in learning alongside peers who represent diverse perspectives. Applicants must also identify a minimum of two teachers who can provide a recommendation on their behalf.
Please note that admission into the program is competitive and has a limited capacity of approximately 20 Fellow positions. Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of faculty and members of community organizations.
Important Dates
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Application process opens: November 1, 2024
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Applications due: January 10, 2025
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Interviews: January 20 – 24, 2025
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Notification of application status: February 1, 2025
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Enrollment decision deadline: February 15, 2025
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Fellowship begins: June 9, 2025
FAQs
How Does the Curriculum Empower Youth?
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Connects them with leading local and international sustainability leaders
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Engages them in hands-on projects around sustainability issues
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Helps them cultivate the mindset required to address the pressing challenges of our time
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Provides authentic research and paid internship experiences to pave the way for college and career pathways
What is the Format of the Program?
The program will span two consecutive summer sessions and culminate with a public presentation of a sustainability project. During the academic year, Fellows will also participate in a guided Sustainability Challenge Project, monthly meetings with a mentor, and quarterly gatherings with the cohort of Fellows.
What will Fellows be doing in the first summer?
The first summer is 6 weeks of intense immersive and experiential learning about sustainability in Hawaiʻi. Fellows will deep dive into essential questions of sustainability framed by the question, “What does it mean to live on an island.” Fellows learn directly from experts in a wide range of topics from renewable energy to food systems.
View Images of the Huakaʻi >
View Images of the Huakaʻi >
What are current Fellows saying about the program?
“This fellowship has taught me how crucial a role youth plays in making change.”
“I feel that I have developed an extremely comprehensive knowledge base of the fundamental systems both in policy and economics, especially in regard to global and local sustainability efforts alike.”
“I think in many ways, my goals for my life have changed. This fellowship has given me a direction and purpose for my passion for sustainability.”
“The fellowship has expanded my perspective on sustainability and climate change through hands-on experiences and collaborative learning.”
“This program has inspired me because it has exposed me to various career paths on sustainability and how their jobs involve sustainability practices.”
“A big takeaway from this summer is that relationships are everything. We can not shape the world by ourselves, because everyone has their own expertise and knowledge when it comes to the climate crisis.”
“It has inspired me as a person to really change my perspective on sustainability and climate change and learn more in depth about what is happening on our island, around us.”
I can only participate in one summer session – can I still apply?
This is a 15 month program – Fellows are required to participate in both summer sessions. They are also expected to participate in the periodic meetings during the intervening school year.
What is the cost of the program?
Punahou School is underwriting the cost of this initiative, making it free for all selected participants.
What criteria are you looking for in a Fellow?
Strong applicants will demonstrate a commitment to the full two-summer program and be able to explain how the fellowship aligns with their long-term commitment to sustainability. Competitive applicants will also demonstrate a strong academic record, exhibit a deep sense of curiosity, and demonstrate a strong interest in learning alongside stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and varying perspectives.
Please note that admission into the program will be competitive and with limited capacity. Applications will be reviewed by a select committee of faculty and community organizations.
I am not an enrolled Punahou School student – can I still apply?
Yes!! All current ninth and tenth-grade students from across the Pae ʻĀina including students from all Hawai‘i public, independent and charter schools are encouraged to apply. This program seeks students from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Punahou School is not responsible for housing and travel accommodations beyond the program’s curriculum.
What organizations does the program partner with?
What organizations does the program partner with?
| Aloha Tree Alliance | Hawaiian Electric | Longroad Energy |
| City and County of Honoluluʻs Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency |
InSynergy Engineering | MolG |
| East-West Center | Kapiʻolani Community College | Plus Power |
| G70 | Keep it Simple | Reppun Farms |
| Hawaiʻi Food Bank | Kobayashi Group | RRR Recycling |
| Hawaiʻi Green Growth | Kualoa Ranch | School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa |
| Hawaiʻi State Climate Commission | Kuilima Farms | Young Brothers |
| Hawaiian Earth Products | Legislators |
Questions?
For questions, please email sustainability@punahou.edu.
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