Giving is an important tradition at Punahou, dating back to the very founding of our School. Each year, Reunion Classes support the School with a Class Gift, and the Class of 2022 is making a big splash in their debut as alumni. They have set a lofty goal for their first-ever Class Gift, striving for 100% of their class to support the School philanthropically with a gift to Punahou. Emphasis is placed solely on participation rather than on the size of each donor’s gift.
The Senior Class Gift Committee Chairs, Caitlin Yuen ’22, Jenna Fujiwara ’22 and Iris Sloan ’22, have set the tone for this ambitious campaign by each personally making a gift.
“As a 13+ Punahou student, giving back to the community that raised me is a must,” says Yuen. “My parents have instilled in me a need to give. Knowing that I played a role in giving back will make my senior year complete.”
Working together, these seniors hope to inspire their fellow students, according to Sloan. “I’ve taken a leadership role on this committee because I receive financial aid in order to attend Punahou and feel that this position would be a great way to give back to future students in need,” she notes.
For her part, Fujiwara says gratitude for the buff ’n blue community was a major driving force for helping with these efforts. “Ever since entering Punahou my freshman year, I have been nothing but grateful for all the opportunities the School has given me. I was able to grow both as a student and as a person because of these opportunities,” she says. “I live by the mantra to whom much is given, much is expected, so as I prepare to take the next step in my life with more knowledge, experience and relationships, the most important thing for me is to give back.”