Palau Aquarium bids farewell to Palau High School interns

On May 15th, the Palau International Coral Reef Center’s (PICRC) Outreach Department bid farewell to two student interns from Palau High School, Lukas Clapp and Joshiana Dilmesiou Towne, who completed their internship at the Palau Aquarium.
Lukas began his internship on January 17, with Dilmesiou joining him in April. During their time at the Aquarium, they actively supported daily operations like fish feeding and tank maintenance, while contributing to key projects such as sea urchin and clam aquaculture initiatives and the Education Carnival.
“Lukas and Dilmesiou had the opportunity to experience the day-to-day responsibilities of an Aquarist and Researcher,” stated PICRC’s Outreach Director, Imade Tellei. “It’s important that we expose students to these career pathways as they may well be the future researchers at PICRC.”
Reflecting on his experience, Lukas shared that some of the highlights of his internship included visiting the coral nursery, snorkeling, swimming, and generally learning more about the ocean. The experience made him think about whether he wanted to pursue a future in marine biology. “The Palau High School interns worked very well with our team and were eager to learn what it’s like to work in an aquarium setting,” stated Palau Aquarium Supervisor, Asap Bukurrou. “I hope this internship helped them build valuable skills and gain experiences that will benefit them in the next steps of their journey.”
PICRC extends its heartfelt congratulations to Lukas and Dilmesiou on their graduation and wishes them all the best in their future endeavors.