Summer Institute - VYLI 4th Annual Summer Institute 2007
Youth Summit: July 23-28
VYLI dedicated our 4th Annual Summer Institute to the creation of the VYLI 2020 Report. VYLI Alumni (ages 15 to 25 years old) from the past three VYLI Summer Institutes were invited to attend the first Vieques Youth Summit.
These young people have been working on their dreams – some for nearly four years. We documented their progress and celebrate their success. We invited them to help create the future of their island. Since they will be the leaders in the year 2020, they want to help plan for their island’s future.
Each day one VYLI college youth made power point presentations on key issues of Cultural Arts, Energy, Economy, Eco-Tourism and Sustainable Development. They delved deeply into challenging issues, brainstorming innovative solutions and developing action plans with VYLI mentor and board member, Paul Lutton. It was a powerful week with many special memories.
During our Eco-Tourism Day, fourteen youth made “60 Seconds to Save the Vieques” ads on poster boards. That afternoon we traveled through the mangroves in kayaks with Abe’s Snorkeling and Bio-Bay. They learned about the health benefits of the muk under the water – and created mud face baths, which was hilarious. Later that evening, we kayaked to the Bio-Bay and swam in its energizing waters.
During summer the VYLI College Team interviewed community leaders, surfed the Internet for innovative solutions, prepared power point presentations and presented them at VYLI’s Youth Summit and facilitated a dialogue on each of the key issues. They also learn from invited guests about what recommendations they might have for best practices and lessons learned and recommendations for how VYLI can help maximize our efforts. Together, we created the first steps for an action plan for how they as future leaders can help implement these recommendations between now and 2020.
Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative
Sustainable Development Youth Summit
Program Components
July 23-28, 2007
Monday, July 23
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Youth Summit Goals and Objectives
3. Ground Rules and Logistics
4. Sustainable Development Overview & Areas
5. Sustainable Development Presentation: Strategy 1: Preserve and Cultural Arts
• Cultural and performing arts: music, dance effect on positive youth health
• Ways to support cultural diversity: indigenous seed collection for handicrafts
• Slide presentation of 3rd annual Caribbean Artisan Festival, Tortola, BVI
with VYLI youth and artisans from 15 Caribbean countries
• Innovative solutions: Caribbean Music/Artisan Festival & Educational Cinema
6. Sustainable Development & Healthy Lifestyle: Lunch
7. Interactive Dialogue with Participants
• Small group discussion
• Large group discussion of differences, similarities of islands
8. Brainstorming Action Plans
9. Communicating & Engaging Others in Sustainable Development
• Small Group Actions: Photography, video, graphic arts, written and spoken presentations, computer search activities, cultural arts/theatre, music; visual slide show
XI. Afternoon Session: Sustainability in Action Field Trip: Showcase of VYLI handicrafts
Tuesday, July 24
1. Overview from Day 1
2. Sustainable Development Discussion: Review Lessons Learned
3. Sustainable Development Presentation: Strategy 2: Energy
• Energy Overview: challenges and opportunities
• Climate change/global warming and its affect on Caribbean islands
• Ways we can conserve energy: alternative light bulbs
• Alternative energy solar, wind: from simple to systemic solutions (net-metering)
• Water: from healthy lifestyles to global water issues
• Innovative solutions: rooftop gardens to cool homes; designing green buildings
4. Sustainable Development & Healthy Lifestyle: Lunch
5. Interactive Dialogue with Participants
• Small and large group discussion
6. Brainstorming Action Plans
7. Communicating & Engaging Others in Sustainable Development
• Small Group Actions: Photography, video, graphic arts, written and spoken presentations, computer search activities, cultural arts/theatre, music; visual slide show
VIII. Evening session: Watch movie: The Inconvenient Truth and group discussion
Wednesday, July 25
1. Overview from Day 2
2. Sustainable Development Discussion: Review Lessons Learned
3. Sustainable Development Presentation: Strategy 3: Eco-Tourism
• Overview: impact of increased tourism on the sustainability of the islands
• Ways to educate and engage tourists to preserve and protect the islands
• Preservation of historical island landmarks: Punta Farro, Punta Vaca, Bio-Bay
• Reforestation: Seed collection and tree planting to preserve/ensure diversity of species
• Mangrove and Sea Turtle Preservation and impact on sustainable development
• Overview of Indigenous Species/birds Diversification and Preservation
• Innovative solutions: targeting educated tourists: communicate and marketing
4. Interactive Dialogue with Participants
• Small and large group discussion
5. Brainstorming Action Plans
6. Communicating & Engaging Others in Sustainable Development
• Small Group Actions: Photography, video, graphic arts, written and spoken presentations, computer search activities, cultural arts/theatre, music; visual slide show
7. Afternoon/Evening Session
• Sustainability in Action Field Trip: Kayaks to Mangroves and Bio-Luminescent Bay
Thursday, July 26
1. Overview from Day 3
2. Sustainable Development Discussion: Review Lessons Learned
3. Sustainable Development Presentation: Strategy 4: Green Economy
• Economy overview: consumerism and effect on sustainable development
• The psychology of money: capitalism and debt cycle
• Ways to reduce consumerism: recycle, reuse and renew (clothes swap)
• Ways small businesses can help educate and preserve the environment
• Business: Vieques recycling and Eco-tourism/environmental education trips
• Healthy lifestyle: Growing your own food and bulk buying/shipping.
• Investments for innovative solutions: business, government, technology -- e-commerce.
4. Sustainable Development & Healthy Lifestyle: Lunch
5. Sustainable Development & Healthy Lifestyle: Lunch
6. Interactive Dialogue with Participants
• Small and large group discussion
7. Brainstorming Action Plans
8. Communicating & Engaging Others in Sustainable Development
• Small Group Actions: Photography, video, graphic arts, written and spoken presentations, computer search activities, cultural arts/theatre, music; visual slide show
Friday, July 27
1. Overview from Day 4
2. Sustainable Development Discussion: Review Lessons Learned
3. Sustainable Development Presentation: Strategy 5: Green Island
• Overview of reports on Vieques: Estudios Tecnicos (2004), U.S. Fish & Wildlife plan
• Family land: preserve and maximize titles with gardens and tree planting
• Preservation of endangered environmental land areas: e.g. mangroves
• Real estate development: issues/concerns/educational strategies
• Resort development: issues/concerns/ educational strategies
• Innovative solutions: Eco-Resorts, Multi-purpose land use, Land Bank (MV), SF Presidio
4. Sustainable Development & Healthy Lifestyle: Lunch
5. Interactive Dialogue with Participants
• Small and large group discussion
6. Brainstorming Action Plans: Live Earth Pledge
7. Communicating & Engaging Others in Sustainable Development
• Small Group Actions: Photography, video, graphic arts, written and spoken presentations, computer search activities, cultural arts/theatre, music; visual slide show
Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative
P.O. Box 424, Vieques, PR 00765 • www.vyli.com • 787.741.2254
