Ka Punahou - "The New Spring"

Long ago, according to legend, an aged Hawaiian couple lived on the slope of Rocky Hill, above the present campus, and had to travel far for water. They prayed for a spring. In a dream answering their prayers, they were told to uproot the stump of an old hala tree. They did as they were told and found a spring of clear, sweet water, which they named Ka Punahou, the New Spring. This legend lives on in the Punahou seal with the hala tree and two taro leaves.

We are committed to provide an environment where students can:

Punahou School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or disability in administration of its employment practices or educational policies: admission, financial aid, and athletic and other School administered programs.

Punahou School is a coeducational college preparatory day school in Honolulu, Hawaii whose 3,700 students, grades K through 12, reflect Hawaii's ethnic, cultural and socio-economic diversity. Punahou is the largest independent school in the United States and has a reputation for excellence.

Punahou alumni are an integral part of the Punahou community. Events, both formal and informal, are held throughout the year to bring together many generations of the Punahou family. Through the Alumni Association many former students have the opportunity to reestablish friendships from a time that shaped their life and to meet new people that may have had similar experiences.

The School annually fields a high percentage of the State of Hawaii's National Merit semifinalists and finalists. As of 1998, thirteen Presidential Scholars selected from Hawaii over the past 16 years were Punahou students.

Punahou also has garnered many athletic championships in boys and girls ILH (Interscholastic League of Honolulu) sports and has some 107 teams participating in 20 different sports. The School's goal in athletics is personal growth through athletics. In 1997 - 1998, of the 33 possible ILH Varsity championships, Punahou won 20 and Punahou won 11 of the possible 20 State athletic championships.

Founded in 1841 by Congregational missionaries, Punahou today is non-sectarian but retains its Christian heritage. The School's 76-acre campus includes nearly 30 school buildings, historical representatives of Hawaii's interesting architecture. There are three modern library and learning centers, computer areas and language labs, and art facilities including jewelry, ceramics and glassblowing areas. Construction of a school wide instructional/administrative fiber-optic network was completed in September 1996.

The School's "heart" is the Thurston Memorial Chapel, built over the historic Lily Pond, whose waters come from the legendary spring after which Punahou was named. "Ka Punahou" means The New Spring. Punahou's modern physical education facilities include a gymnasium which seats 1,800, locker and shower facilities for PE and athletics (grades 5 through 12), a championship 50-meter swimming pool, an outdoor surface (Mondo) track, three playing fields, six raquetball courts, a gymnastics and wrestling room, a weight room and training facility.

A building renovation program, which included the repair and restoration of several historic buildings on campus, including Cooke Hall (1908), Pauahi Hall (1894) and Alexander Hall (1933). Dillingham Hall was the last of those buildings to be restored to historic beauty but with contemporary use in mind.

 Punahou School is divided into a Junior School (grades K through 8) and an Academy (grades 9 through 12).

 The Junior School is composed of four smaller, self-contained sections, each designed to meet the special needs of the different ages of the children it serves. An outdoor education program offers nature study and camp experiences throughout the Junior School.

 In the Academy, college preparatory graduation requirements include credits in English, Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Physical Education, Performing Arts and Community Service. The junior class traditionally presents the annual Punahou Carnival, which brings parents, alumni, teachers and students together in a common effort for the Honolulu community. Punahou graduates a senior class of around 400 students each year, 99 percent of who go on to college.

The Spiritual Dimension:

At Punahou, the spiritual dimension is regarded as integral to the educational experience. At least ten worship services are held each cycle. Six days are in each cycle encompassing Grades K-12 in Thurston Memorial Chapel. Punahou's three full-time chaplains The Reverend Dr. John R. Heidel, The Reverend Lauren Buck Medeiros, The Reverend David Baumgart Turner conduct services which range from child-centered expressions planned by the elementary students to more multidimensional and challenging services for grades 7-12. The chapels bring people of different religious, family and ethnic backgrounds together in a search for their common humanity.

 With a student body of 3,700 students, 500 faculty and staff and over 20,000 living alumni, chaplains are often called upon to provide pastoral support and community building leadership as well. The spiritual dimension is an important part of the Punahou experience; the chaplains are integral to this task.

Punahou's mission statement relates the importance of "developing the moral and spiritual values which are consistent with the Christian principles on which Punahou was founded." Though these principles have been integrated into many areas of the program at Punahou, recently a structure has been designed to encourage a more focused and intentional effort.

 A Character Education Handbook has been developed which focuses on a "Value of the Month." In a two-year cycle the values studied are: respect, responsibility, compassion, faith, commitment, love, wisdom, health, humor, honesty, cooperation, humility, peace, patience, creativity, courage, environmental awareness, and freedom. In the handbook teachers are provided with a definition of each value, a statement of purpose, a listing of books for different age levels and discussion questions that are age appropriate. Teachers are encouraged to use the handbook in all academic disciplines and the first chapel of each month for each grade level is utilized to focus our attention on the value of the month. Exploration of the principles is cumulative and students, teachers and staff find appropriate examples for "teachable moments" throughout the school year. In 1998, a 3rd revision of the Handbook was compiled, expanding to include global awareness and Hawaiian values.

Parents are included in the character education effort with monthly articles in the PFA Currents newsletter inviting families to discuss the ideas of the Character Education program from their own context and perspective.

 Character Education committees in the Academy and Junior School encourage collaboration and shared ideas. Together they are working to ensure that students "are able to know the good, love the good and ultimately do the good."