PARTICIPATE
Ma ka hana ka ʻike.
In doing, one learns.
Learn. Serve. Work.
Kupu’s programs inspire participants to discover the greatness and importance of natural resource fields in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. Programs vary from education for youth, to professional development for young adults and rising industry leaders. Financial stipends, education certificates, and college credit are also awarded for various programs to make learning accessible to all.
Use our quick Program Finder to find a Kupu program that fits your interests.
Overview of Our Programs
While every Kupu program offers a well-rounded experience, we separate them into three main categories based on focus: Learn, Serve, and Work.
Learn: Focus on education and introduction of natural resource fields.
Serve: Focus on hands-on field experience, often at host sites around the Pacific.
Work: Focus on work experience with professional career opportunities.
For more program information, email outreach@kupuhawaii.org.
Serve
State of Hawaiʻi, Guam, CNMI, American Samoa
Ages 17+ | Full-Time
Seasonal (6-Month) and Year-Long (11-Month) Terms
Individuals interested in entry-level conservation opportunities serve as AmeriCorps members at a single location to gain in-the-field experience and build their professional networks. Unique exposures to the fields of ornithology, botany, natural resource management, aquatic resource management, marine biology, Hawaiian cultural studies, agricultural science and more.
State of Hawaiʻi
Members: Ages 17+, Leaders: Ages 21+
Full-Time 7-Week Program During June/July
For individuals with an interest in conservation and natural resource management careers who want to serve in a supportive team environment. The program is an outdoor summer experience with hands-on fieldwork at various locations across their respective islands that develop one’s interpersonal and vocational skills.
Learn
State of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi High School Students Grades 9-12
Current School Year
A program of Kupu and Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation, HYSC is an initiative to empower students to create solutions to conservation and sustainability challenges they identify in their schools and communities. Selected students receive funding (up to $1,000), training, and mentorship to implement their innovative environmental initiatives.
Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island
11th-12th Grade Students/Recent High School Graduates
1 and 2-Week Program During Fall/Summer Breaks
Kākoʻo Connections links Hawaiʻi youth to people, professional development, and resources that can help them achieve their college and career goals in the islands’ unique natural resources field. Students visit college campuses, connect with environmental organizations, learn and practice college and career readiness skills, and care for Hawaiʻi’s natural landscape and resources during week-long fall or summer break sessions.
State of Hawaiʻi
Educators and Natural Resource Professionals
Ongoing Initiatives
The NRSP is a collaborative effort between educators and industry to better prepare and inspire Hawaiʻi’s students to meet the current and future demands of natural resource professions in Hawaiʻi. Leaders and educators in the natural resources field convene to take action on priority areas: Building Career Awareness; Connecting Students to ʻĀina and Community; and Investing in College and Career Preparation, Access, and Transitions.
Oʻahu, HI, USA
Teachers/Staff in Education
Paid Semester-Long Program Offered During Spring and Fall
A professional development program for educators designed to expose participants to careers in natural resources and grow connections between educators and the community. Participants will increase their knowledge of natural resource topics and build a repository of curricula of natural resource careers and subjects for students.
Oʻahu, HI, USA
Participants: Ages 16-24
Year-Long Program, Accepting Year-Round
The Kupu Community Program is designed for under-resourced young adults who are interested in exploring environmental work and education. This is a hands-on program where individuals receive real-world job experience, personal development workshops, and the opportunity to participate in cultural activities.
Work
State of Hawaiʻi
Ages 21+
Paid, Part-Time or Full-Time for 1 Year
Environmental Education Leaders offer direct support to teachers and students based on school-identified needs. EELs engage students grades 6-12 in hands-on, work-based learning activities in and out of the classroom; develop curriculum that broadens student knowledge while fostering long-term school and industry connections; and support and lead intersession and out-of-school programs.
State of Hawaiʻi
Ages 17-38
Paid, Part-Time or Full-Time for 1 Year
Kupu ʻĀina Corps is a workforce development initiative during which participants gain up to a year of paid work experience in the green jobs field. There are a variety of positions available in sustainability, renewable energy, agriculture, and natural resource management.
State of Hawaiʻi
Minimum Age 17
Paid, Part-Time or Full-Time
The Nā Manu ʻElele Program is an environmental initiative that empowers participants to become community leaders. Local “stewards” (Kupu participants) assist in interpreting the area's historic nature, mitigate unwanted behaviors, and ensure safety. The program aims to equip the local community to play a crucial role in managing Hawaiʻi’s heritage sites.