Sibley is from Fairhope, Alabama. Her internship was with Nukubati Private Island & Great Sea Reef Divers. On Nukubati, she helped her mentors with day-to-day ecotourism operations and took on community projects, such as planting mangroves with the local school. She conducted participant observation and walking interviews to help develop written materials for Nukubati. The data she collected was used to create educational videos for guests before their arrival in Fiji and surveys after their departure. A fun fact she shared was that the first solar plant in Fiji was built on Nukubati Island.

Her favorite part of the internship experience was the opportunity to reconnect with the community members she had worked with in the past in Fiji. The most challenging part of her internship was developing and teaching ridge-to-reef curriculum to 50 students in years 7 and 8. She had never taught a large group of students before but was excited to work with her mentors to create lessons relevant to current environmental issues in Fiji.

Anya is from Puna, Hawai‘i. Her internship was with the Natural Area Reserve System (NARS). She worked across all of NARS’s field crews with a wide range of ecosystems and plant and animal communities. Her tasks included surveys for the field crew, bird crew, and PEPP; invasive species removal through predator trapping and weed control; fence construction and checks throughout the reserves; outplanting and nursery work for native seed propagation; and data management. She also camped every other week for work. Her favorite part of the experience was working in such special places with native plant and animal species—something she never took for granted. The most challenging part was adapting to physically strenuous conditions, which required a period of adjustment.

Leslie is from Mountain View, Hawai‘i. Her internship was with Ho‘ola Farms, where she helped design a bee garden and researched the potential climate benefits of pollinator plants. She grew the selected plants from seed in the onsite greenhouse, while protecting them from marauding chickens, and began soil regeneration using composting worms. A fun fact she shared was that earthworms are the third animal mentioned in the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian creation chant.

Her favorite part of the internship was getting her hands in the soil and creating a self-sustaining home for pollinators. The most challenging part was determining the optimal routines and conditions for successful plant growth and worm reproduction.

Ally is from Houston, Texas. Her internship was with the Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project. Her fieldwork involved night monitoring of nesting sites to observe Hawksbill sea turtles and identify nest locations. She helped protect nests through predator control and signage, and she created a nest distribution map to highlight the importance of coastal vegetation. She also contributed to the end-of-year report and hatchling season planning. A fun fact she shared was that Hawksbill turtles lay around 180 eggs per clutch and nest where they were born, often laying 3–6 nests in a single season.

Her favorite aspect of the internship was hatchling season—watching newborn turtles journey to the ocean. The most challenging moment was responding to an adult turtle flipped on her back and suffocating, though the team was able to rescue her. Another challenge was staying up all night for five nights a week during the monitoring season.

Hanna is from Hilo, Hawai‘i. Her internship was with the Three Mountain Alliance, where she worked with the propagation crew in the native plant nursery and in the field. She collected seeds, propagated native plants suited to specific climate zones, and helped restore ecosystems across the island. She also helped document propagation techniques, nursery timelines, and plant phenology to support island-wide collaboration. While collecting ʻŌlapa fruits, she often heard the ʻŌmaʻo—a Hawaiian thrush that feeds on the fruit—calling from nearby, as if to say, “those are my fruits!”

Her favorite part of the internship was seeing outplanted seedlings thrive and witnessing restoration sites begin to regenerate naturally. The biggest challenge was the unpredictable nature of native seed production, which varies by elevation and climate, making timing and site selection difficult.

Hannah is from Santa Barbara, California. Her internship was with Pōhaku Pelemaka, where she supported the development of an ʻOhana Stewardship and Management Plan. She conducted resource assessments, coordinated workdays, and researched historical, place-based knowledge to inform the plan. A fun fact she shared was that the entire Puna District is a wahi pana—a legendary place shaped by cycles of destruction and rebirth through lava flows.

Her favorite part of the internship was learning from and working alongside lineal descendants of the Puna coastline, who generously shared moʻolelo (stories) and wisdom. The greatest challenge was educating the broader community about land stewardship, especially mobilizing youth to help ensure a healthy future for the Puna coastline.

Benjamin is from Seattle, Washington. His internship was with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DOFAW), where he focused on locating burrows of the ʻuaʻu and ʻakeʻake on Mauna Loa with the help of sniffer dogs. He also supported other bird conservation efforts, including surveys, predator control, and bird banding. He had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s most endangered birds and help protect their habitats.

His favorite part of the internship was exploring remote areas of Hawai‘i that most people never get to see. The most challenging part was confirming elusive burrow sites while traversing rough lava flows.