Hawaii public high school students can apply to become global ambassadors

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Applications are now open for Hawai’i public high school students to serve as youth ambassadors abroad through sister-state study tours.

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Nikki Shishido, executive director of the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC), and Ben Murdock Jr., a 2026 student ambassador to Okinawa, joined Hawaii News Now Sunrise Weekends to discuss the program and how students can apply.

“This year, we are attempting to select one student from every public high school to serve as a student ambassador to one of our sister states in Okinawa, Jeju, or the Philippines,” Shishido said. “It’s much more than just a trip. Students are going to represent Hawaiʻi, learn from our sister states, and bring their ideas and experiences home.”

Organized through a partnership between PAAC and the East-West Center, the state-funded initiative sends local students on two-week study tours to Okinawa, Japan; Jeju, South Korea; or Ilocos, Philippines.

Keeping travel accessible

Families pay a maximum of $500 for the two-week program, with full fee waivers available to ensure financial barriers do not prevent students from participating.

“Waivers will be available, and we’re definitely willing to work with families to make sure that the reason they aren’t applying isn’t finances,” Shishido said. “We want to represent our diversity. Ben is a Kaimuki High School alum — a public high school in Honolulu. We want to showcase that beautiful diversity to our sister states, and that includes our neighbor islands: Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii Island, and all of our friends out there.”

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Murdock, who traveled to Okinawa this past summer, said the experience shifted his perspective.

“The biggest takeaway was meeting all the people and getting introduced to the culture. I got to make a family within my delegation,” Murdock said. “Adding new culture and more flavor into the mix really expands your experience beyond Hawaii.”

He encouraged other local high schoolers to step outside their comfort zones.

“For any high school student, taking this kind of opportunity is a chance to spread your roots,” Murdock said. “I was born and raised on the island, and if you are too, or if you want to learn more about different cultures, take that step. Once you do, you get to see how big the world is.”

Eligibility and application deadlines

Applications are open to eligible Hawaiʻi public high school students.

The deadline to apply is Oct. 15. Students and families can find application requirements and submit forms online at paachawaii.org or hawaiistudytours.org.

To apply, students must:

Applicants must submit a current official high school transcript, written responses, contact information for recommenders and parents or guardians, and a parent or guardian signature.

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