Rapa Nui 'A Pó Youth Involvement Program
Easter Island, Chile

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is world-famous for its rich archaeological record. In the face of rapidly increasing tourism and development, the island faces great challenges in conserving its past while also preparing for the future. The 'A Pó Rapa Nui Youth Involvement Program was established in 2003 to support extracurricular activities in archaeology for the island's high school students.

The goal of the program is to equip the young people on Rapa Nui to be an integral part of the documentation, study and conservation of the remarkable treasures of the island's past. Each 'A Pó project begins with an education outreach component so that the young members of the local community learn basic skills required for archaeological fieldwork. Upon completion of their training, 'A Pó participants put their practical expertise to use as members of archaeological research and conservation teams.

Support from Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy has enabled 'A Pó to meet its most urgent need: the purchase of a total station, an optical instrument critical for large-scale, precision archaeological surveys.