COM-FSM students attend Experiential Learning Trip to Palau and Guam

Nine students and three instructors from the College participated in an experiential and entrepreneurial learning trip to Palau and Guam last March 27 – April 1, 2010. The instructors include Tara Tara of Kosrae Campus, Toa Currie of Pohnpei Campus and Kiyoshi Phillip of National Campus. The students include Kenye Lisa Ittu, Pedro Nena and Salik David from Kosrae Campus, Nelson Fredrick, Delson Luke and Monaliza Barnabas of Pohnpei Campus and Rosalinda Silbanuz, Berson Elias and Elfred Alfred from National Campus.

The groups’ first destination was Palau to attend an entrepreneurial opportunities program at Palau Community College, where they were introduced to new agricultural techniques, and other agriculture sciences such as fruit farming, fish feeding, rabbit fish and milk fish farming and many others.

The students concluded their Palau educational trip by visiting places like Jelly Fish Lake, Milky Way (or better known as Rock Island), and Palau Coral Aquarium.

After their four-day stay in Palau, the group headed to Guam for the final four day stretch of their experiential learning trip. The students attended an agri-tourism and aqua-tourism program at University of Guam were they were taken to the Guam flee market and toured a fruit farm through the help of Mr. Hamamoto of the University of Gaum.

On April 30, 2010, the National Campus students who participated in the experiential learning trip gave presentations to the community at National Campus about their trip.

According to Jim Currie, Vice President for Cooperative Research and Extension (VPCRE), based on the report by the students, the trip had a positive impact. “The students are pumped up and more focused on their major, they are now more eager to finish their education and start their own business in agriculture,” he said.

The same group of students will be representing COM-FSM in recruitment efforts at schools and villages around the island as well as promoting Agriculture and Food Technology programs at the College.