Mahalo – Thank You from Trevor Tanaka: Sustainable Hawaii
14th Youth Leadership Summit 2018

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I attended the Sustainability Forum for 2018 on behalf of Dr. Catherine Becker, a Communication professor at University of Hawaii-Hilo. I was there to learn about Design Thinking, a process approach from Stanford University designed to help define actual needs and insights, leading to better approaches and products. As a result, instead of making people want things, we’re making things people want. Design Thinking is supposed to be human-centric, with a bias towards action, using radical collaboration and a culture of prototyping to “show, don’t tell” project proposals. Read more…
SHYLI at Opening Day at Hawaii Capitol

2017 Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development


Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example. — Cory Booker
This quote really embodies the ideas I believe in. This system of leading by example is something uncommon in this era. People are so used to being dictators and managers without any actual leadership. Having the capability to lead a group instead of managing it is a skill SHYLI’s program tries to implement into the youth today. Read more…


SHYLI Windward Youth Celebrate with Parents & Community Leaders

SHYLI Youth Share Life-Changing Summit Experiences
11th Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development: June 27-July 2, 2015
Dedicated to Oceans, this year’s Summit was held at the Mayhew House overlooking the blue waters of Menemsha. Local and global legends shared their time and talents for a rich and life-changing experience for everyone. Our young people were especially touched by Gandhi’s Grandson Arun’s message of peace. Read more…
SHYLI Waimea Youth Delegates
at Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch
On a quiet Friday evening in August driving up to the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch, I was curious what kind of characters I would encounter. To a merely curious eye, one may see the iridescent hills undulating amidst a sea of monochrome rock. In the heart of these hills lies Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch, a completely energy independent enterprise on 100,000 acres which truly epitomizes “off the grid.”
VIDEO: SHYLI Youth Delegate Presentations
The Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Inititiave presents a video of the presentations of the 2015-2016 Youth Delegates at the Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development SHYLI Waimea Youth Delegates 2015-2016 Elijah Anakalea-Buckley and Tania DuPontMeet SHYLI Windward Youth Delegates 2015-2016 Serena Le, Jacqueline Noborikawa, Kimo Short, Celeste YeeHear SHYLI Emerging Leader’s Sustainability Journey Trevor Tanaka Read more…
SHYLI Youth Delegates
at Gandhi Youth Forum
The Gandhi Youth Forum was the highlight of the 11th Annual Youth Leadership Summit. Gandhi’s grandson Arun shared his journey as he carries on his grandfather’s legacy of “being the change we want to see in the world.” At the Gandhi Youth Forum he engaged our future leaders in a conversation about how each one of us can create peace in our lives and in the world. Read more…
It has been an honor and a privilege for The Stone Soup Leadership Institute’s to be invited by Elton Kinoshita and Dennis Hokama to collaborate on the development of a youth empowerment/leadership program that would benefit LHES students. Since December 2013, The Institute dedicated two weeks each month for six months, working closely with Elton and Dennis to refine and implement their vision for LHES. The Institute developed clear financial goals, since each island initiatives must be self-sufficient. The Institute’s team traveled to Lanai each month to conduct a strategic planning process with administrators/ teachers and host leadership training, presentations for LHES students. This pilot program was successfully implemented. Read more…
SHYLI-Lanai Youth Leadership Summit 2014
The Institute’s 10th Annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development was dedicated to oceans. It was held on the island of Martha’s Vineyard from June 21-27, 2014. Lanai youth were joined with delegates and alumni from all the Institute’s five other island youth leadership initiatives. The common thread between all our islands is the ocean. Islands are a microcosm for the planet — “the canary in the coal mine” – on the front line of climate change and global economy. We are united in the question: “How might we build more sustainable islands and ocean world?” Read more…
SHYLI’s Design
Sustainable Hawaii Forum
Leaders from business, government, education and civic groups joined together with talented Hawaii youth from Hawaii, Lanai, and Oahu to see how we might design a sustainable future for Hawaii. The Design Sustainable Hawaii Forum built bridges between decision makers, and action-oriented youth and used the resources to harness the power of youth, capture their imagination, and fast track innovative sustainability projects. Hakipu’u Learning Center students chanted an oli to honor Hawaiian culture, ‘aina and kuleana. Educator Calvin Hoe used Mau Piailug’s designfor the traditional leis, in honor of the Hokule’a imminent departure on its worldwide voyage and goal of building the next generation of voyagers. Read more…
SHYLI Youth Leaders Share
Sustainability-In-Action Projects
Hawaii is a leader in sustainability. To realize its full potential Hawaii needs new leaders, innovative thinking, action-oriented and collaborative people who can work together on sustainability initiatives that benefit us all. Young people in Hawaii are concerned about the environmental issues facing their islands and the world. Too often as we plan for our island’s future, we forget to invite our young leaders. We urgently need their passion, energy and hard work to help fast track sustainability initiatives. Read more…
SHYLI Youth Leadership Summit 2013
The Stone Soup Leadership Institute’s 9th Annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development was held from June 22-28. The Summit inspires, educates and empowers young people to take initiative in their lives and on their island. This year’s Summit was dedicated to Nelson Mandela. Each day we chose a Leadership Theme: Connection, Intention, Joy, Commitment, Compassion, and Courage.This was the most diverse Summit – with flags representing youth delegates from 16 countries and U.S. States. Read more…
On April 15, youth leaders celebrated a year full of accomplishments at the Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Initiative’s Graduation. They inspired everyone with their life-changing experiences. They also passed the torch to the new youth who were nominated by their communities to serve as SHYLI delegates for the coming year. To honor the Hawaiian heritage, Keahi Delovio led us in a chant at Graduation which was held at Kanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School in Waimea. Read more…
The SHYLI Youth Leadership Forum was an auspiciously bright clear day. Hosted by the Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu’ukapu at Hālau Ho’olakoKanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School, the Forum brought together Hawaii’s decision makers from business, government, education and nonprofits with SHYLI youth leaders, their families and schools. We each shared our mana, love for ‘Aina, kuleana for our future in the spirit of aloha. We built bridges from our collective past to our future. We shared our legacy from our leaders of today, who passed the torch to our leaders for tomorrow. Read more…
Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year! SHYLI is making progress with trained youth leaders sharing their vision and projects; emerging partnerships with local organizations and funders; letters of support from Mayor, Governor, U.S. Senate; capacity building training for existing organizations; increased opportunities for Hawaiian youth; greater respect for Hawaiian culture; donor appreciation and positive media recognition. Read more…
School Recycling Petition
Aims to Protect Aina
“We, the students of Hawaii Island, propose that all schools of Hawaii should have equal access to a sustainable recycling program for our school campuses. We strongly request that all future Department of Education solid waste contracts require recycling services.” Read more…
The Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Initiative sponsored five young people from the County of Hawaii to serve as delegates to the 8th Annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development. At this weeklong intensive leadership training Martha’s Vineyard youth envision their personal, professional, island and planetary goals and create action plans for their lives and for sustainable projects. Read more…
The Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Initiative launched the New Year with a weeklong Leadership Intensive including a three-day Sustainable Hawaii Tour. The SHYLI Tour served as a preliminary community assessment of youth and green initiatives from sustainable agriculture, sustainable business, sustainable energy, sustainable housing, and sustainable living. SHYLI’s Leadership Intensive coincided with the Hawaii Island Economic Summit 2012 with over 300 island leaders who chose education as their top priority – with sustainability as another. Read more…