Eight student ambassadors from Maui to embark on journeys to Philippines, South Korea or Japan

The Pacific & Asian Affairs Council and the East-West Center are partnering on the 2026 Hawai‘i Sister-State Study Tours Program, providing public high school students with the opportunity to travel to Hawaiʻi’s global sister-state locations during spring break.  

The list of participants includes eight student representatives from Maui County who attend school at Baldwin, Hāna, King Kekaulike, Kūlanihākoʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Lahainaluna and Molokaʻi.

This year, 43 student ambassadors representing 43 public high schools statewide will embark on journeys to Ilocos Norte/Ilocos Sur, Philippines; Jeju Island, South Korea; or Okinawa, Japan from March 14 to 26, 2026. The selected students will pay no more than $500 for the trip that includes airfare, lodging, meals and immersive, place-based learning experiences.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the East-West Center in helping to subsidize this experience for students across the state,” said Niki Shishido, PAAC executive director. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for public high school students to experience the world without financial barriers. This experience will help to bolster Sister-State relationships and expose students to economic development overseas, while at the same time providing them with a greater understanding of our unique island home and building relationships throughout our islands.”

For students from Hawaiʻi’s most geographically isolated communities, the program expands access to opportunities rarely within reach.  “Living on Lānaʻi, where our community is small, it can be hard to access new and different opportunities,” said Sofia Pimentel, Lānaʻi High School student. 

“I’ve always wanted to explore the world, meet new people, and experience new cultures. This opportunity allows me to step beyond the limits of my home island, learn from other places around the world, and grow in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.”

The East-West Center brings decades of experience fostering understanding and cooperation among the peoples of the U.S., Asia, and the Pacific, while PAAC contributes more than 20 years of expertise in designing international study tours specifically for Hawai‘i high school students. 

“Through this partnership with PAAC and with support from the State of Hawaiʻi, the East-West Center is leveraging its resources, expertise, and global networks to directly serve communities across Hawaiʻi by investing in the next generation of leaders,” said Celeste Connors, President of the East-West Center.  “For students participating in these three study tours, which I am proud to note have grown from last year’s pilot of 14 to 43, this is also an opportunity to demonstrate the core principles of Hawaiian culture—respect for people and place—to inform and strengthen communities and leadership practices in the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea.”

The Sister-State study tours are designed to go beyond sightseeing, emphasizing historical, economic, and cultural understanding, contemporary issues, relationship-building, and experiential, place-based learning.  The program reflects PAAC’s and the East-West Center’s shared commitment to equitable access to global education and to ensuring representation from communities across Hawaiʻi.

Learn more about PAAC study tours and how you can support global education at paachawaii.org.  Learn more about the East-West Center and their global initiatives at eastwestcenter.org.