🌱 Internship Opportunity
Nāhele Hou Foundation – Nāhelehou Kēōkea
Host Organization: Nāhele Hou Foundation
Program: STEMworks™ Ag Business & Technology Internship (Maui County)
Location: Keōkea, Maui (Nāhelehou Kēōkea – 40-acre native forest restoration site)
🕒 Duration & Schedule
Fall/Spring: 8 weeks • ~15 hrs/week (≈120 hrs total)
Summer: 6 weeks • ~20 hrs/week (≈120 hrs total)
Stipend: $2,100 upon successful completion (STEMworks standard)
Eligibility: Grades 9–12 (ages 14–22), Maui County residents
🌿 About the Host Organization
Nāhele Hou Foundation is dedicated to restoring native Hawaiian forest ecosystems through a blend of ecological science, Hawaiian cultural land practices, and community collaboration. At our Keōkea site, interns contribute directly to the regeneration of Maui’s upland native landscapes while learning how technology, science, and traditional knowledge intersect in modern restoration.
🔬 What Interns Will Do & Learn
At the Nāhelehou Kēōkea site, interns gain hands-on experience in ecological restoration, Hawaiian cultural land stewardship, and field-based technologies.
Time Allocation:
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80% – Native Plant Propagation & Restoration
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5% – Field Mapping & Monitoring
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5% – Eco-Hydrology & Watershed Science
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5% – Cultural & Ecological Knowledge Exchange
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5% – Professional Development
🌱 Native Plant Propagation & Restoration (80%)
Assist with seed collection, nursery propagation, planting, and ongoing care of native species such as ʻōhiʻa, māmane, and other high-elevation flora.
🗺️ Field Mapping & Monitoring (5%)
Use GPS/GIS tools to map restoration zones, monitor invasive species, and assess native recovery progress.
💧 Eco-Hydrology & Watershed Science (5%)
Participate in fog drip studies, soil moisture monitoring, and watershed recharge assessments for the Kula/Keōkea region.
🌺 Cultural & Ecological Knowledge Exchange (5%)
Learn about Hawaiian land-use zones (wao nāhele, wao kele, wao kānaka) and their connections to ecosystem and community wellbeing.
🧭 Professional Development (5%)
Build real-world skills in data collection, teamwork, documentation, site safety, and presentation through weekly reports and a final showcase project.
🌎 Why This Internship Matters
This opportunity bridges native ecosystem restoration with Hawaiian cultural landscape stewardship. Interns see firsthand how ecological science, field technology, and traditional knowledge work together to restore living systems.
Aligned with STEMworks’ mission, the experience offers industry-relevant learning in agriculture, conservation, and technology sectors—helping prepare youth for careers in ecology, land management, GIS, or environmental sciencewhile contributing to Maui’s sustainability goals (Focus Maui Nui).
📅 Work Schedule & Mentorship
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Work primarily takes place at the Nāhelehou Kēōkea site (Keōkea, Maui).
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Field excursions may occur depending on weather and project needs.
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Typical hours: after school or weekends (~15 hrs/week Fall/Spring, ~20 hrs/week Summer).
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Interns are paired with a dedicated mentor and participate in:
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STEMworks orientation
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Weekly check-ins & timesheets
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Final project showcase presentation
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🧑🏫 Mentor & Site Information
Host Mentor: [Insert Mentor Name]
Site Hours: [e.g., Mon–Fri 3:00–6:00pm; Sat 8:00am–12:00pm – field times may vary]
Mentor Expertise: Restoration ecology, native plant propagation, watershed science, GIS monitoring, and cultural land stewardship.
📋 How to Apply
Apply through STEMworks™ Ag Business & Technology Internship Program:
🔗 https://www.stemworkshawaii.org/aginternships
Submit:
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Cover letter and résumé
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Availability and motivation statement for ecological restoration and land stewardship
All STEMworks onboarding and host paperwork must be completed before the start date.
🌈 Why Choose Nāhele Hou Foundation
Join a team restoring Maui’s native uplands—where ecological science meets cultural renewal.
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Contribute directly to watershed and biodiversity health
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Gain hands-on skills with real tools and data
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Learn from practitioners rooted in Hawaiian values of aloha ʻāina and kuleana
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Be part of a regenerative model for island resilience
At Nāhele Hou Foundation, you’re not just observing—you’re helping rebuild a living ecosystem.
Internship Learning Objectives
This document outlines the internship learning objectives, key performance objectives (KPOs), and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the internship with the UH Maui Agricultural Sciences Department. The focus areas include seed propagation, nursery management, and native seed stock collection, with an emphasis on developing practical skills that support native forest restoration projects.
Sanctuary as a spiritual practice place.
Sanctuary is modeled as a spiritual practice center in the Zen tradition, offering training in Zen meditation, philosophy, and work. The mission of the spiritual practice is to awaken the bodhisattva spirit -- the spirit of kindness and realistic helpfulness -- as a living enactment of Buddha's way.
Daily Practice Schedule
4:20 am wake up, morning bell
5:00 am morning zazen
5:45 am morning service
6:00 am morning soji
6:15 am breakfast - noble silence
8:20 am first bell work practice
8:30 am work practice community meeting
9 1030 am work practice - noble silence
1030-1045 break
1045-12pm work practice - noble silence
12 pm lunch
1-4pm work practice
5pm dinner
7pm evening service
730 pm zazen
8 pm Refuges
9 pm lights out
Seed Propagation & Nursery Practices
Key Performance Objective: Build proficiency in propagating native Hawaiian plants through hands-on seed preparation, germination, transplanting, and early growth management.
Key Performance Indicators:
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Successfully germinate and transplant at least 3–5 native species during the internship period.
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Maintain a transplant survival rate of at least 70–80% through consistent care and monitoring.
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Accurately document propagation protocols, noting germination rates, growth observations, and challenges.
Nursery Systems Management
Key Performance Objective: Develop the ability to manage nursery infrastructure and systems that support healthy plant growth, while applying best practices in sustainable nursery management.
Key Performance Indicators:
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Demonstrate consistent maintenance of irrigation, soil media preparation, and pest prevention systems, documented in a weekly task log.
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Monitor plant health and produce at least two written assessments on growth conditions and corrective actions taken.
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Contribute to improved efficiency or sustainability of nursery operations (e.g., water use efficiency, pest control method, soil media mix), supported by at least one small-scale improvement or recommendation.
Native Seed Stock Collection & Field Integration
Key Performance Objective: Apply ethical and sustainable methods of native seed collection while linking nursery production with broader restoration goals.
Key Performance Indicators:
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Participate in at least two seed collection excursions with proper planning and documentation.
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Accurately record seed collection data (species, location, timing, and quantity) in a standardized format.
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Align at least one propagation effort directly with field-based restoration needs (e.g., producing seedlings from collected stock intended for out-planting).
