Mahalo to everyone who joined us for our inaugural Festival of Ideas, from June 7 – 9. Our esteemed speakers engaged in so many thoughtful, engaging discussions over the three-day event, which spanned everything from innovation to the future of education. Our lively innovation workshops also showcased ingenious student projects.
If you missed any of the sessions, you can watch them below:
Opening Keynote and Conversation: Building Bold Futures
Punahou Trustee Emeritus Steve Case ’76 delivered the Festival’s keynote address, sharing his vision for building bold futures through innovation that is both inclusive and impactful. He was joined in conversation with Punahou Trustee Mark Fukunaga ’74.
Create a community of possibility – one that doesn’t just focus on risk factors but on the art of the possible. – Steve Case ’76
Future Now: Alumni on Revolutionary Change
Punahou alumni Liz Yee ’94, Chief of Staff of The Rockefeller Foundation; Zak Stone ’00, a member of the Google Brain Team; and author Chris Burniske ’08, discussed such topics as how artificial intelligence, cryptoassets and the pandemic are changing the world.
Remember the community you deserve is the one you helped build. – Allen Murabayashi ’90, moderator
Explore New Dimensions: a Hands-on Workshop in Augmented Reality
View this recording of a hands-on workshop exploring augmented reality experiences created by Punahou students and faculty. Attendees were inspired and shaped new ideas together for how these amazing technologies can change the way we work, play and live.
Creating the app that I helped present was a fun dip into the world of prototyping an idea. I had about 2-2.5 weeks to work on it. Working with Mr. Loughridge during the Art of Entrepreneurship class was great, as it allowed me to brainstorm ideas with him and get his insight on my own ideas. – Bao Jones ’24
Featured Conversation: Fearless Innovation in Education
Philanthropist, tech pioneer and author Jean Case took part in an enriching conversation with Academy Principal Emily McCarren and Junior School Principal Paris Priore-Kim ’76 about how education was transformed during the pandemic and how it can continue to evolve.
Let urgency conquer fear. – Jean Case
Pitch to the Pros: a Shark-tank Style Contest for Student Ventures
Student finalists pitched their venture ideas in a “Shark Tank” style contest with judges Jean Case, Steve Case ’76, Amara Humphry ’05, Meli James ’96 and Dustin Shindo.
Having the privilege of pitching to industry professionals with years of expertise facilitated a lot of personal introspection, and it also provided me with a unique glance at real-world entrepreneurship. As always, the CASE Accelerator went above and beyond in making sure its students’ voices are heard, and it continued to support leaders of the next generation. – Sascha Pakravan ’22
Featured Conversation: Rediscovering and Sustaining Hawai‘i’s Soul
Listen to an intimate “talk story” between Punahou Trustee Duane Kurisu and John De Fries ’69, as the two leaders talked about what makes Hawai‘i’s soul so endearing and how they are trying to preserve it.
Keiki o ka ‘āina. Those who are born and raised here feel that connection. If you get into the actual word Hawai‘i – ‘ha’ breath of life; ‘wai’ fresh water; and ‘i’ the spiritual realm, all three are universal. – John De Fries ’69
Reinventing a Healthier Planet
Celeste Connors ’94, Executive Director, Hawaii Green Growth; Punahou English teacher Tom Gammarino; John Leong ’96, Founder, Pono Pacific Land Management; and Lia Shipman ’91 Colabello, Managing Principal, Planet+Purpose Solutions discussed ways Hawai‘i can carve a path to a sustainable future.
The youth in Hawai‘i have immense power to be change makers in the world. – Lia Shipman ’91 Colabello, Planet+Purpose Solutions
Workshop Challenge: Invent Your Own Reef-safe Sunscreen
In this hands-on workshop led by Robyn Fukumoto ’05, founder of Lani & Kai, and Moani Hibbard, founder of Ao Ola, attendees were able to customize a sustainable mineral sunscreen that is healthy for skin, and for the reefs.