Ten students from across Hawaiʻi gathered at the East-West Center to prepare for PAAC's inaugural study tour to Palau — and discovered they had more in common with the Pacific's other shore than they expected.

Before 18 students from across Hawaiʻi flew to Taiwan, they spent three days learning what lei really carry — and asking questions only Taiwan could answer.

Forty-two Hawaiʻi public high schoolers spent spring break in Okinawa, Jeju, and Ilocos — then stood before diplomats and senators to report what they found: cultural renaissance parallels, disappearing traditions, and a governor across the Pacific who understood what Lahaina lost.

From a handmade lei placed on Governor Denny Tamaki's shoulders to a day inside the Himeyuri Peace Museum, fifteen Hawaiʻi students spent ten days in Okinawa confronting war, culture, and a striking mirror of home — and left calling each other family. Ichiriba chōdē: once we meet, we are family.

Dragon Head Rock. The Haenyeo divers. A massacre most students had never heard of. Fourteen Hawaiʻi public school ambassadors spent spring break on Jeju Island discovering a place so close to home it startled them — and came back asking harder questions about their own.

From a Vigan cobblestone street to a loom that demanded their full bodies to a US Embassy conversation that felt like a lightbulb moment — thirteen Hawaiʻi students spent twelve days in the Ilocos discovering a place that had been sending its people to Hawaiʻi for over a century, and being welcomed like they were already known.

All three 2026 Sister-State cohorts independently chose the same value to guide them: aloha. Before 42 students ever boarded a plane to Okinawa, Jeju, or the Ilocos, they spent two days at orientation learning what that word actually asks of them once they land.

Expanded from 14 to 42 student ambassadors, the 2026 Hawaiʻi Sister-State Study Tours mark a major investment in the next generation of leaders. With statewide representation and subsidized access, PAAC and the East-West Center are building Hawaiʻi’s global leadership pipeline.

PAAC is excited to announce that applications for our 2025 Freeman Summer Study Tour to Vietnam are now being accepted. Under the theme “Cultivating Resilient Communities”, students will be immersed in Vietnamese history, politics, and culture. Students will also learn about global issues, strengthen 21st century skills, and build a strong sense of community with their fellow travelers. The group will be visiting Hội An, Huế , and Hà Nội.

Thanks to the generosity of The Freeman Foundation, the majority of participants with demonstrated financial need and/or demonstrated commitment to PAAC programs have received merit- and/or need-based financial aid for this program.

Link to Student Application Form

When are the applications due?

📅 Friday, January 17, 2025 at 11:59PM

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

Contact Carol Li <paac@paachawaii.org> if you have any questions.

In June 2025, 16 Hawaiʻi high school students joined PAAC’s Freeman Vietnam Study Tour to explore the culture, history, and resilience of Vietnam. From Hội An to Hà Nội, students engaged in hands-on learning, cultural exchanges, and unforgettable experiences that shaped their growth as global citizens.

Hawaiʻi students deepen Sister-State ties with Ilocos Sur through culture, history, and shared stories on PAAC’s 2025 Philippines Study Tour.