Thursday, March 28, 2024

Environment

What Will it Take to Win Isla Palenque’s Island Intern Contest?

When a spectacular private island eco-resort offers the chance to live aboard for a summer as their “island intern”, massive interest is guaranteed. But what will it take to win this experience of a lifetime?


(Image Courtesy of Amble Resorts)


Ambitious bloggers with passion for ecological issues are invited to submit a video entry for the Isla Palenque Island Intern contest, open until March 28th. Emily Kinskey, media contact at Amble Resorts, told Private Island News that Isla Palenque was looking forward to an exciting year ahead in 2011, and that the contest seemed like an ideal way to create interest and excitement for the island’s conservationist mandate. “Inspired by the ability of social media to unite people around a common cause or passion, we thought that having someone on the island simply to discover it and share it would be the perfect way to give future visitors and residents a glimpse of our wild island sanctuary,” she said.

And Panama’s Isla Palenque is as wild as it gets – a vast 400-acre island close to the shores of Costa Rica in the Gulf of Chiriqui, the island is home to an astounding range of biodiversity. Anteaters, armadillo, porcupines, and many varieties of monkeys all make their home in Palenque’s forests, not to mention large reptiles like caimans and basilisks, and plenty of exotic birds, too. Anyone interested in this internship will need to have a deep love of nature – whether it walks, flies, or crawls. Even if it has more than four legs…or none at all!  Similar to nearby Costa Rica, the island has no shortage of snakes, spiders, and insects.

“We needed someone adventurous, who was not afraid to dive in, get dirty or go great lengths, and also someone who was good at telling stories in order to share to their adventures with other people – to capture the essence of their island life through photos, videos and words,” Emily continued. “So the idea of an Island Intern was born – and how to find that person? Through the very mediums that we would want them to utilize: social media and storytelling. The video contest was the perfect solution.”

The qualities that will give prospective interns an advantage include:

  • A true love of nature, even muddy, slimy or slithering nature
  • An appreciation for travel – real travel, not just tourist traps and spring break crowds
  • A passion for blogging and creating awareness
  • Availability to live in Panama for 4-6 weeks during the summer of 2011
  • Must have completed a minimum of two years at a college or university prior to June 2011
  • Be at least 20 years of age
  • A US citizen with a valid US Passport
  • Excellent conversational and interpersonal skills and a high energy level
  • Fluent in English with exceptional writing skills
  • The ability to cleverly communicate an idea and capture an audience
  • Ability to work independently with remote supervision
  • Physical fitness level appropriate to hike uneven terrain and participate in outdoor adventure activities, including but not exclusive to: camping, hiking, ocean swimming, sport fishing, scuba diving, boating and horseback riding
  • Comprehensive ability and experience using a digital camera, video camera and multiple social media and blogging platforms

Voting on the video submissions, which will be posted on Youtube, will commence on March 28th, and continue until April 12th – finalists will then be announced, and another round of voting will end with a final decision on May 2nd. One finalist will be chosen for having the most views on Youtube, and the others will be voted on by a panel of judges that includes Amble Resorts president Benjamin Loomis, former Ritz Carlton CEO Horst Schulze, and Chris Tackett, Social Media Editor at Treehugger.com.

The successful candidate will spend an unforgettable summer living on the island and sharing the wonders of Isla Palenque with the world through video and website blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. The intern will enjoy free room, board and meals on the island for 4-6 weeks, all airfare and transportation are covered, and receive a US $2,500 stipend. University internship credit may also apply. Most importantly, however, is an unforgettable experience and a one of a kind eco-education.

In an Amble Resorts press release, one hopeful candidate weighed in: “I was so excited to hear about the internship,” says Anica Wu, who is competing for the Island Internship. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for an inspiring project. I hope The Resort at Isla Palenque sets the stage for future eco-developments worldwide.”

Truly devoted to exploring all forms of media, applicants’ questions about the contest will only be answered by asking the Twitter handle @ambleresorts – no queries will be responded to by telephone or email.

Private Island News will be keeping our readers updated on the contest as it progresses, including links to contestant’s videos and which candidates are in the lead!

Visit the Island Intern page on the Isla Palenque website to learn more: http://www.islapalenque.com/island-intern


(Image Courtesy of Amble Resorts)


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