Past program participants gathered in Wo International Center last Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Punahou’s Pan Pacific Program. Guests included host families, instructors and program alumni, many of whom traveled from Japan for this special occasion. Program founder Sig Ramler made a special appearance, much to the delight of those in attendance.
Ramler established the program in 1969, and in doing so, launched decades of travel, homestays, learning and friendships between Punahou students and their cohorts throughout Asia, the Pacific Islands, Central America, Africa and Europe. “The program was clearly a landmark and an origin point for Punahou, because it allowed the School to begin to link its excellence in foreign language instruction to a much wider vision of global education itself,” noted Punahou President Mike Latham ’86. “Our responsibility is to give our students the tools to navigate across borders, cultures and languages.”
Following the formal program, program alumni toured the campus, visiting their old classroom in Griffiths 101 and sharing memories of Punahou.