2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
2024
School
Debbie Millikan, Punahou’s sustainability director and member of the Hawaii Farm to School Network, highlights safety and regulatory challenges for Hawai‘i schools serving garden-grown food, stressing strict sanitization and record-keeping. (Honolulu Civil Beat, 25 Oct. 2024)
Punahou junior Sophia Howell ’26 advocates for increasing youth engagement in the voting process, which is a critical step toward change. (Manoa Now, 29 Sep. 2024)
Mana Music Quartet, which includes Punahou Music School teacher Duane Padilla, receives the nation’s first innovative, environmentally friendly string instruments made with flax fiber instead of wood. (Spectrum News NY1, 28 Sep. 2024)
USS Chung-Hoon sailors conduct namesake visit to Punahou School in honor of Punahou alumnus Rear Adm. Gordon Pai’ea Chung-Hoon (1929). (DVIDS, 18 Sep. 2024)
Punahou performs well at state speech and debate championships. (Honolulu Civil Beat, 16 Sep. 2024)
Although it’s only week three of the high school football season, both Campbell and Punahou believe they have what it takes to win the state championship. (Hawaii News Now, 23 Aug. 2024)
Punahou football hosted Sierra Canyon for a match on Friday. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 16 Aug. 2024)
Events like Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement have boosted Generation Z’s political awareness, but more needs to be done to engage Hawai‘i’s youngest voters, said David Ball, program coordinator at Punahou’s Davis Democracy Initiative. (Honolulu Civil Beat, 12 July 2024)
Punahou School teacher Brian Johnson incorporates his love for the board game Go while weaving its concepts into teaching Buddhist philosophy. This unique class helped earn him the title of American Go Foundation Teacher of the Year. (Hawaii Public Radio, 8 July 2024)
Punahou School President Mike Latham ’86 contributed to a new publication to help educational institutions address speech and academic freedom. (Honolulu Civil Beat, 7 July 2024)
Elliott Mannis-Young ’31 from Punahou School recognized as a state merit winner in the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge for his scientific innovation. (Discovery Education, 26 June 2024)
Punahou School secures second place in the JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl in Washington, D.C., showcasing top cadet skills nationally. (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, 25 June 2024)
2024 HHSSA Hall of Honor inductees announced, recognizing top student-athletes including Carly Cormack ’24 (soccer), Payton Jim On ’24 (tennis) and Lulu Uluave ’24 (volleyball, track and field) from Punahou for their achievements in sports and academics. (Spectrum News, 23 May 2024)
Payton Jim On ’24 of Punahou clinches the HHSAA boys tennis singles title at Central Oahu Regional Park. (Spectrum News, 13 May 2024)
Michael Ng, Manoa Valley Theatre guest director and Punahou teacher, reflects on his role in ‘Happily Eva Afta.’ (Yahoo! Entertainment, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ng-comes-full-circle-happily-160100732.html], 24 June 2024)
Punahou secures the girls’ title at the 2024 HHSAA Track and Field championship. (KHON, 11 May 2024)
Punahou’s girls golf team celebrates its second consecutive win and a historic 13th koa trophy at the State Championships in Kaneohe. (KHON, 8 May 2024)
Punahou School honors Hawaiian educator Mary Kawena Pukui by naming a new learning facility after her. (Hawaiʻi Public Radio, 8 May 2024)
Photographer Steve McCurry, famous for his “Afghan Girl” cover, visits Punahou School as part of their Creative Greats program. (Civil Beat, 9 April 2024)
Rusty Komori, former Punahou School Boys’ Varsity Tennis Team head coach, releases his third book, “Superior.” (KHON-TV, 4 April 2024)
Carly Ann Cormack ’24, a standout Punahou soccer player, is celebrated as Player of the Year. (AOL News, 31 March 2024)
USA Water Polo Hall of Fame’s 2024 class to include Olympian Kiley Neushul, featuring a tribute to a renowned Punahou coach Ken Smith. (Swimming World Magazine,19 March 2024)
11th grader Deanna Wen ’25 featured in Hawaii Public Radio’s “Tuesday Student Takeover.” (Hawaii Public Radio, 12 March 2024)
Dozens of Punahou School student athletes sign letters of intent in Waikiki. (KHON-TV, 7 Feb. 2024)
The Punahou Carnival kicks off, continuing a long-standing tradition. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 2 Feb. 2024)
120,000 malasadas and other fast facts about Punahou Carnival food. (Honolulu Magazine, 24 Jan. 2024)
Punahou Carnival Art Gallery showcases local talent in the largest pop-up exhibition. (KHON-TV, 23 Jan. 2024)
Enjoy Punahou Carnival on Friday and Saturday. (Spectrum News, 1 Jan. 2024)
Alumni
David Hijirida ’90 named president and CEO of ProService Hawaii, an outsourced HR service provider. (The Business Journals, 30 Oct. 2024)
Punahou graduate, Trustee and MacNaughton COO, Emily Reber ’92 Porter, brings 15 years of experience in law, tech and business to Hawai‘i’s real estate projects. (Hawaii Business, 10 Oct. 2024)
Texans’ football kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn ’12 set the franchise’s scoring record with a 59-yard field goal, surpassing the previous mark of 767 points. (KITV-TV, 6 Oct. 2024)
Pro golfer Allisen Corpuz ’16 helps U.S. defeat Europe in the Solheim Cup. (Spectrum News 1, 15 Sep. 2024)
Manti Te’o ’09 tackles new role as analyst on NFL Network” (Yahoo! News, 3 Sep. 2024)
Three Tony Award-winning Broadway shows are coming to Hawaii, including “Six,” with Kevin McCollum ’80 as executive producer. (Hawaii News Now, 18 Sep. 2024)
Sia Liilii ’21 talks about her Nevada volleyball career. (Nevada Sports Net, 18 Sep. 2024)
Alana Kobayashi ’93 Pakkala named CEO of Kobayashi Group. (The Business Journals, 23 Sep. 2024)
Chris Sy ’96 owns Breadshop, which was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bakery in 2023 and 2024. (The Business Journals, 22 Aug. 2024)
Marist Liufau ’19 builds confidence in his rookie preseason for the Dallas Cowboys. (Indiana State News, 20 Aug. 2024)
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner ’12, a Punahou School graduate, are among Hawai’i’s best-paid athletes in 2024. (Hawaii Business, 19 Aug. 2024)
The U.S. men’s volleyball team, featuring Punahou alumni Erik Shoji ’08 and Micah Ma’a ’15, won bronze in the Paris Olympics. (Yahoo! News, 9 Aug. 2024)
Honolulu company Oceanit has trained and mentored some of the brightest scientific minds across the country this summer, including Punahou graduate Oliver Nishikawa ’22. (Hawaii News Now, 7 Aug. 2024)
Judge Alan C. Kay ’50 passed away at the age of 92. He was a senior judge for the U.S. District Court of Hawaii, known for his brilliant legal mind. (Hawaii News Now, 1 Aug. 2024)
The UH Women’s Soccer team opened Fall training camp with local standouts like Punahou graduate Jordyn Eldredge Sagapolutele ’23 returning to the islands. (Hawaii News Now, 31 July 2024)
The Honu Hawai’i Project, led by Dr. Brian Glaser from the University of Hawai’i, uses sensors to study ocean tides and water levels, helping local communities plan for flooding. Dr. Kevin Mukai ’10, a Punahou School graduate, is also part of the project. (Yahoo! News, 30 July 2024)
Kevin Penn, president and CEO of James Campbell Co., is a 1989 Punahou School graduate who grew up on the Mainland and returned to Hawai’i for high school. (The Business Journals, 25 July 2024)
Tate Goodman ’22 is one of the 2024 – 25 Fukunaga Scholarship recipients. The scholarship awards a total of $200,000 each year to students in Hawai’i pursuing business administration degrees. (Big Island Now, 17 July 2024)
Carissa Moore ’10, a Punahou School graduate, announced her retirement plans after the Olympics and intends to start a family with husband Luke Untermann ’10. (Yahoo! Sports, 14 July 2024)
Jade Hinsdale ’12, now 30, became so passionate about fostering animals that she made it her capstone project as a senior at Punahou School, which involved interviews, research and producing a video. (AOL, 7 July 2024)
Hawaiʻi-born former NFL player Ray Schoenke ’59 shares the pressures of football in his memoir “Fat Girl Sings.” (Hawaii Public Radio,18 June 2024)
Neil “Dutch” Kuyper ’84, the president and CEO of Parker Ranch, Inc., will depart for a new role in Alaska, leaving his position effective May 31. A Punahou School and Occidental College alumnus, Kuyper also attended Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. (The Business Journals, 30 May 2024)
Memorial Day speech at Punchbowl National Cemetery honors the late Gordon Chung-Hoon ’29, a distinguished Punahou alumnus and Naval officer. (U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, 27 May 2024)
Coti Haia ’99, the first Native Hawaiian and possibly the first Indigenous woman to serve as chief of staff for a U.S. Senator, has been in her role with Sen. Mazie Hirono since 2022. (UH Hawaii News, 21 May 2024)
Marist Liufau ’19, a Punahou alumnus, is drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. (KHON, 26 April 2024)
DeForest Buckner ’12, Punahou alum and Waianae native, extends his contract with the Indianapolis Colts for two more years. (KHON, 15 April 2024)
Tumua Tuinei ’14, former Punahou linebacker, announces a Maui performance as part of his national stand-up tour. (Hawaii News Now, 7 April 2024)
Naturopathic doctor Stacie Han ’94 shares healthy aging tips for women, leveraging 14 years of experience from her San Diego-based Gaia Naturopathic and Acupuncture Clinic. (Hawaii News Now, 4 April 2024)
Tehina Kahikina ’18 crowned Queen at the 95th Lei Court at Mission Memorial Auditorium and Honolulu Hale Courtyard. (KHON-TV, 3 March 2024)
Taylor Date ’14, known as Instagram influencer “Townie Tay,” shares her search for the perfect date night. (Hawaii News Now, 1 March 2024)
Filipino history to be taught in Hawai’i schools, driven by efforts from Punahou School’s Marissa Halagao ’23. (Teen Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024)
Carissa Moore ’10 will step away from competitive surfing after the Olympics. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 19 Jan. 2024)
Aiea native, Susan Soon He Stanton ’99, takes home an Emmy Award for outstanding drama series for HBO’s “Succession.” (Hawaii News Now – HNN, 16 Jan. 2024)
NYTimes food writer and Punahou alum, Ligaya Rogers ’88 Mishan, returns for a culinary storytelling event. (Hawaii Public Radio, 11 Jan. 2024)
2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
2023
School
Scout member of BSA Troop 201 Cole Watanabe ’30, 12, a student at Punahou, talked to HNN about the significance and process of making Kadomatsu, a traditional Japanese ornament used to decorate entryways of homes or businesses at the start of the new year. (Hawaii News Now, 30 Dec. 2023)
Punahou’s Pa’ani Challenge is a girls wrestling tournament, with a day of clinics and college fairs preceding the action for the largest girls wrestling tournament in the nation. (Yahoo! Sports, 29 Dec. 2023)
“Your Ultimate Guide to the 2023 Punahou Carnival” was the no. 3 top story of 2023 for HONOLULU Magazine. (Honolulu Magazine, 29 Dec. 2023)
Ashley Ikeda ’26, 10th grader, talked to HPR about the music that she is working on, her arranging, and teaching elementary students how to play music. (Hawaii Public Radio, 27 Dec. 2023)
The Carbon Neutrality Challenge aims to plant 1 million endemic trees to offset the carbon emissions Hawaii residents, businesses and government create. The project, developed by University of Hawaii professor Camilo Mora and co-founded by his daughter, Punahou student Asryelle Mora Rollo ’25, moved forward Saturday with 200 koa and wiliwili saplings. (Honolulu Civil Beat, 7 Dec. 2023)
Giving Tuesday: 30 non-profits making a difference in Hawaiʻi, including Punahou School. (KHON-TV, 28 Nov. 2023)
Punahou’s Girls Cross Country Team fundraises to end homelessness at their annual 5K run. (KITV-TV, 24 Nov. 2023)
Iosepa Lyman ’24 is known as Punahou’s handyman. (Yahoo! Sports, 14 Nov. 2023)
Prep student-athletes sign letters of intent on signing day. (Yahoo! Sports, 9 Nov. 2023)
Maile Kim Dunn ’27, a Punahou School finalist in the “Letter to My Parents” contest, discusses the event’s impact on family relationships. (Hawaii News Now, 4 Nov. 2023)
Punahou defeats Saint Louis for ILH Open football title, state berth. (Spectrum News, 29 Oct. 2023)
Skye Aoki ’26, violinist since age 3, on HPR’s Student Takeover. (HPR, 25 Oct. 2023)
Elyse Everest’s ’24 “Books are Bridges” connects books with Ukraine. (KHON2, 17 Oct. 2023)
Pu‘u‘ōhi‘a got the nickname Tantalus from a group of Punahou students, in an article about Hawaiian place names. (Honolulu Magazine, 28 Sept. 2023)
57 Hawaii students were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, including 22 from Punahou. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 24 Sept. 2023)
Helen Chao-Casano, music director of Punahou School, visits HPR’s Evening Concert to share her favorite classical music pieces. (HPR, 14 Sept. 2023)
Hawai‘i teens travel to D.C. for program aimed at turning young activism into leadership. Ava Pakravan ’24 and Mikalya Mula spent one week of their summer vacation in Washington, D.C. — at Girls Nation. (HNN, 7 Sept. 2023)
Lulu Uluave ’24 brings elite skills and leadership qualities for No. 1 Punahou volleyball team. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 5 Sept. 2023)
The Punahou football team almost pulled a monumental upset but fell just short against California’s Corona Centennial. (KHON, 2 Sept. 2023)
Girls volleyball Top 10: Punahou still the team to beat. (Yahoo! Sports, 29 Aug. 2023)
Punahou football, which remains at No. 2, has an opportunity to make some noise nationally on the mainland for a contest against California’s Corona Centennial. (KHON2, 28 Aug. 2023)
Violinist-pianist Aya Okimoto ’27 is a Punahou ninth grader who has won many piano competitions. She visited Classical Pacific during a busy week with a competition and a fundraiser for Maui. (Hawaii Public Radio, 21 Aug. 2023)
Punahou football looks to make a return to Open State Championship. (HNN, 2 Aug. 2023)
Punahou, ‘Iolani and Kamehameha schools and Mid-Pacific Institute also told the Star-Advertiser that they will not impose schoolwide prohibitions on AI and instead are actively exploring its use. Punahou sees the introduction of generative AI as a “watershed moment.” (GovTech via Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 8 Aug. 2023)
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi selected new members to serve on the Honolulu Youth Commission, including Kahn Ho ’25, a leader on the football field at Punahou School and a class representative in his school senate. (City & County of Honolulu, 31 July 2023)
American Red Cross of Hawaiʻi has new board chair and board members, including Sunny Donenfeld, vice president, Finance and Operations, Punahou School. (Big Island News Now, 23 July 2023)
The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards announced the 2022-23 All-USA TODAY HSSA Girls Golf Team, with Raya Nakao ’23 from Punahou School on the list. (Golfweek – USA Today Sports, 20 July 2023)
Three golfers from Hawaii to compete at the 7th U.S. Girls’ Junior championship in Colorado Springs, including Punahou senior Nicole Ikeda ’24. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 18 July 2023)
With 14 championships, Punahou’s baseball team has won more state championships than any school in Hawai‘i history. (MSN, 17 July 2023)
Gabriel Canevari ’24 from Punahou worked with UH’s Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory on the Artemis CubeSat, a spaceflight-ready, educational, small 1U cube satellite, during a hands-on STEM experience for high school students at UH Manoa. (The Magazine of the University of Hawaii, 14 July 2023)
Travis Dumaran ’28, a student at Punahou School, is a Rubik’s Cube speedcuber. His best competitive time is now about 9 seconds, and he’s taken part in three official competitions, getting two top 3 finishes. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 9 July 2023)
PBR HAWAII was recognized as the best commercial real estate design firm of the year in NAIOP Hawaii’s 26th annual Kukulu Hale Awards. At Punahou School, the firm was instrumental in the design teams for the Omidyar K – 1 Neighborhood, Case Middle School and Kosasa (Grades 2 – 5) Neighborhood campuses. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 7 July 2023)
Educators from Teachers Across Borders Southern Africa (TABSA), including Academy social studies teacher Yunus Peer, who is also TABSA’s director, will be conducting workshops with teachers in Southern Africa who teach grades 7, 8 and 9 throughout the winter school holidays. (SA People News, 26 June 2023)
Punahou’s Nolan Souza ’23 is not rushing MLB Draft process. (KHON2, 26 June 2023)
Carly Ann Cormack ’23 was named the 2022-23 Gatorade Hawaii Girls Soccer Player of the Year. (Yahoo! Sports, 25 June 2023)
Mark Noguchi ’93, chef and educator at Punahou, was featured in the New York Times article “Hawaii’s ‘Local Food,’ a Rich Mix That Isn’t Strictly Hawaiian.” (New York Times, 19 June 2023)
Liam Hutchison ’23 earned first place in an essay and video contest sponsored by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The contest theme was “The 28th Amendment – What Should Our Next Amendment Be?” (USCourts.gov, 19 June 2023)
Punahou champion paddler Sebastian Ako ’23, gets full ride to a top college as a rower. (KITV, 12 June 2023)
Artwork by Punahou School student Allison Lin ’26 is Hawai‘i’s representative entry in the 15th annual Doodle for Google contest. (Yahoo! News, 24 May 2023)
Kylee Hamamoto ’24 was recognized in April as the only Hawaii resident out of 25 nationally selected youths to receive the 2023 Prudential Emerging Visionary award. (Yahoo! News, 22 May 2023)
Punahou boys volleyball team wins 10th consecutive state title (Yahoo! News, 14 May 2023)
Girls golfer Raya Nakao ’23 of Punahou successfully defended her state individual crown (Yahoo! News, 11 May 2023)
Waikīkī students created toys for Honolulu Zoo animals. They were given the opportunity to work with seniors in Punahou School’s engineering department. (KHON-TV, 9 May 2023)
Students in Shelley Fey’s PE classes wear heart rate monitors to improve their understanding of how exercise intensity contributes to their overall fitness levels. (IHT, 4 May 2023)
Punahou sweeps state tennis team titles. (Yahoo! News, 7 May 2023)
Punahou School senior and Aiea resident Kaelah Kimura ’23 receives Rotary Club of Pearlridge Scholarship. (MyPearlCity, 30 April 2023)
UH to award honorary degrees to legendary kumu hula, including Kimo Keaulana, ‘Ike Hawai‘i faculty and Kumu Hula. (HPR, 24 April 2023)
Two Punahou musicians – Iris Sim ’23 and Deanna Wen ’25 – were featured in Hawaii Public Radio’s Student Takeover program. (HPR, 6 April 2023)
Walls and Ceilings online publication featured the Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community (WCOnline, 6 April 2023)
The Punahou varsity boys tennis team defeated the defending champion University (California) in the final of the All-American tournament in Newport Beach, California. For champ Payton Jim On ’24, every day is training day. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 4 April 2023)
Honolulu Magazine took a back though its archives to show what the Punahou Carnival looked like in 1948. (Honolulu Magazine, 30 March 2023)
Punahou soccer athlete Carly Ann Cormack ’24 was selected as the Star Advertiser girls soccer Player of the Year, as voted on by a panel of coaches. Punahou girls players Ellie Gusman ’23, Xevani Salanoa ’23, Dalen Lau ’23 and Emily Daehler ’24, and boys player Declan Horio ’23 were also recognized among the top high school soccer players. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 26 March 2023)
The Fender Play Foundation piloted its music education program this summer with PUEO at Punahou. (KITV, 18 March 2023)
Punahou’s 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior shortstop Nolan Souza ’23 is ranked No. 52 among the MLB Draft/Top 100 high school prospects. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 March 2023)
Hawaii-born author Jeff Chang returned to Honolulu for a brief visit to give a public lecture at Punahou. (Civil Beat, 5 March 2023)
Joey Misailidis ’23 was selected one of 150 high school seniors to receive a $20,000 college scholarship and join a family of 6,750+ Coke Scholars who are leading positive change in their communities and around the world. (Coca-Cola Scholars, 9 March 2023)
Irene Zhong ’24, an 11th grader at Punahou School, earned the title of Hawai‘i State Champion in the Poetry Out Loud State Finals. (Broadway World, 2 March 2023)
Kamaola, Punahou’s double-hulled sailing canoe, embodies the essence of the Voyaging program. The canoe will be at the Kualoa/Hakipu’u Canoe Festival on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (KHON, 25 Feb. 2023)
Local media reported on the launch of Punahou’s Davis Democracy Initiative, which aims to get students more involved in political and non-political processes. (Civil Beat, KHON2, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 21 Feb. 2023)
Punahou Music School pianist Aya Okimoto ’27 won first place in the Baroque category and second place in the Romantic category of the American Virtuoso International Music Competition. (American Virtuoso International Music Competition, 14 Feb. 2023)
Jordyn Eldredge-Sagapolutele ’23 was chosen from a pool of about 300 Native Hawaiian soccer players across the state to represent her lāhui, or nation, on the first-ever Hawaiian National Team. Punahou students Andrew Lovell ’24, Haley-Scott Recarte ’25 and Mekenna Tang ’25 were also selected for the team. (HPR, 7 Feb. 2023)
Even without thrill rides, returning crowds pack Punahou Carnival. (HNN, 3 Feb. 2023)
Punahou Hall of Fame’s Kena Heffernan ’92 is taking a team of Hawai‘i boys to Japan to represent the U.S. at Hakuho Hai Cup youth sumo tournament. On the traveling team are two Punahou students Killian Heffernan ’26 and Pono Ka‘akua ’28. (KHON, 2 Feb. 2023)
Punahou swimmer Kai Flanagan ’23 is an ocean enthusiast, with strong family ties to the water. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 24 Jan. 2023)
Your Ultimate Guide to the 2023 Punahou Carnival. (Honolulu Magazine, 23 Jan. 2023)
Director of Sustainability Debbie Millikan and Punahou faculty member Stephanie Brown are among educators helping Hawai‘i students understand climate change. (Civil Beat, 10 Jan. 2023)
Oakwood of California had strong showing at the Punahou Basketball Invitational. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 1 Jan. 2023)
Alumni
Denby Fawcett ’59, who reported on Vietnam when she was 24, talks about what it was like becoming a journalist. (Spectrum News, 30 Dec. 2023)
Punahou graduate and second year student at Caltech, Bao Nguyen ’22 shares his experiences as a pianist and violinist while studying chemistry at the prestigious school. (Hawaii Public Radio, 19 Dec. 2023)
Rich Matsuda ’81 appointed director of the Keck Observatory telescopes on Mauna Kea, becoming its first Hawaii-born director. (Yahoo! News, 19 Dec. 2023)
Amanda Schull ’96, from ballet dancer to a prominent TV star. (Magzica, 23 Nov. 2023)
Throwback Thursday: reminiscing about Punahou’s Larry “Tui” Tuileta ’14. (KHON-TV, 10 Nov. 2023)
Inside the love story of pro surfer Carissa Moore ’10 and her husband Luke Untermann ’10. (The Knot, 9 Nov. 2023)
Erin Nishi ’21, a local violinist and co-concertmaster at Yale University’s orchestra, featured in the 2023 ANA Aha Mele, highlighting Hawaii’s young musical talent. (KHON-TV, 8 Nov. 2023)
Pono Pacific announces Christopher Bennett ’91 as the new vice president of Sustainable Energy Solutions. (The Business Journals, 7 Nov. 2023)
Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents dual exhibits by Marcia Morse ’62 and George Woollard. (Maui Now, 6 Nov. 2023)
Mark Veneri ’04 and brother John enliven homecoming week at UH Mānoa from the booth. (UH News, 31 Oct. 2023)
Jennine Sullivan ’07 helms The Pantry by Feeding Hawaii Together. (Pacific Business News, 27 Oct. 2023)
Employee experience key to growth, Tiffani Bova ’84 asserts. (Hawaii Business News, 24 Oct. 2023)
The late Douglas Glenn Gibb’s ’58 tenure as chief recalled in HONOLULU Magazine archival piece. (HONOLULU Magazine, 20 Oct. 2023)
Erika Mori ’02 spotlighted in HONOLULU Magazine’s Professional Women 2023. (HONOLULU Magazine, 11 Oct. 2023)
Hawai‘i’s sustainability heroes include Makena Coffman ’98, a UH Mānoa professor and energy and climate policy expert. (Hawaii Business, 15 Sept. 2023)
Suzanne Case ’74 has been appointed as the inaugural director of the Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures by the University of Hawaiʻi. (Big Island Now, 15 Sept. 2023)
Remembering 9/11’s victims from Hawaii, including Heather Ho ’87 and Richard Lee ’86. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 11 Sept. 2023)
Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn ’12 is pledging field goals, extra points to help rebuild Maui. (Yahoo! Sports, 25 Aug. 2023)
Bella Hughes ’05 talks serial entrepreneurship and angel investing. The Shaka Tea co-founder shares her career journey and how the lessons she’s learned have helped shaped her into the leader she is today. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 24 Aug. 2023)
Marvin Dang ’71, managing member of the Law Offices of Marvin S.C. Dang LLLC in Honolulu, has become the first Asian American lawyer to be an officer of the American Bar Association in its 145-year history. (LegalNews.com, 23 Aug. 2023)
Mark Fukunaga ’74 reflects on nearly 30 years as chairman and CEO of Servco Pacific Inc. He will transition to executive chair of the company’s board of directors on Oct. 1. (Pacific Business News, 11 Aug. 2023)
This year’s winner of The Ocean Race, an international sailing race around the world, was 11th Hour Racing, a team headquartered in Rhode Island, and co-founded by Punahou graduate Mark Towill ’07. (HPR, 28 July 2023)
Recent graduate of Punahou School Marissa Halagao ’23 spent a week in the Civil Beat newsroom. (Civil Beat, 24 July 2023)
Kaʻiulani Sodaro ’94 was named Board Chair of the Trust for Public Land on Maui. (Maui Now, 18 July 2023)
Mike White ’67 ends a 37-year run at Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel. As general manager, he supported cleanups at Kaho‘olawe and other community service projects during his tenure at the hotel. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 17 July 2023)
Punahou alum Elyse Umeda-Korth ’03 was named next Buff ’n Blue varsity girls basketball head coach. (HNN, 14 July 2023)
MLB team drafts Punahou’s Kalae Harrison ’20. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 12 July 2023)
Golfer Allisen Corpuz ’16 wins the US Women’s Open and clinches her first LPGA title at Pebble Beach Golf Links on July 9, 2023, in Pebble Beach, California. (CNN, 10 July 2023)
Allisen Corpuz ’16 gets presidential approval after US Women’s Open win. Barack Obama ’79 was “proud” of his fellow Hawaiian and Punahou alum, who won her first major. (The Guardian, 10 July 2023)
Karissa Kilby ’21 wins Manoa Cup women’s golf title. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 24 June 2023)
In his new lead role at Diamond Head Theatre, Trevor Tamashiro ’99 is prioritizing the redevelopment of the theatre’s Theatrical Arts Building to expand student classrooms and programming. (Pacific Business News, 23 June 2023)
Mom Talk: Q&A With April Hail ’03 of Keiki Kaukau. (Honolulu Magazine, 30 May 2023)
Punahou Trustee Emeritus Warren K.K. Luke ’62, who helped to create and fund the Wo International Center at Punahou, was selected in this year’s group of Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 13 May 2023)
The Punahou alum, California-based author and psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen ’98 Gutierrez, recently published the novel “Aloha Vietnam,” about a local Vietnamese family coming to terms with mental health. (HPR, 2 May 2023)
Through her high school years at Punahou School, Hawai‘i youth advocate Sara Kay ’18, volunteered at the Hawaii Public Health Institute and for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids to keep all tobacco products out of the hands of kids. Zoey Duan ’22 was also mentored in the article. (Civil Beat, 2 May 2023)
Hawaii-born actor Kanoa Goo ’07 attended Punahou School and later went on to study acting at New York University. (Star-Advertiser, 30 April 2023)
When Alison Takamiya ’20 began looking at colleges as a junior at Punahou School, she didn’t feel her golf game was ready for the Division I level. (Star-Advertiser, 26 April 2023)
Rick Ching ’75 was named Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders 2023 Inspirational Leader of the Year. (Pacific Business News, 19 April 2023)
Aaron Chaney ’75 was inducted into the USA Water Polo 2023 Hall of Fame. (SwimSwam, 7 April 2023)
Malia Dunaway ’21 was on Wheel of Fortune representing Villanova University on the College Spring Break Edition. It aired on April 7. (KHON2, 8 April 2023)
Samantha Marumoto ‘14 was crowned Cherry Blossom Festival Queen. Also at the festival were Miss Chinatown Hawai’i Star Dahl-Thurston ‘16 and Narcissus Queen Laura Ho ‘18. (KHON, 1 April 2023)
Punahou alumnus Andrei Iosivas ’18 impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. (KHON2, 4 March 2023)
At the age of 21, producer Connor Tumbaga ’20 is reportedly the youngest person to book a live performance at the Neal Blaisdell Arena. (KHON, 28 Feb. 2023)
When most businesses were in pandemic survival mode, Jen Lau ’04 was seeking out opportunities for growth. Lau is executive VP at Finance Enterprises. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 27 Feb. 2023)
Linda Furuto ’97 is one of 105 Obama Leaders the Obama Foundation has chosen to support as changemakers in their respective communities. (Obama Foundation, 21 Feb. 2023)
At a gala ceremony Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, US Senator Brian Schatz ’90 was awarded the East-West Center’s Asia Pacific Community Building Award. (EWC, 19 Feb. 2023)
James Koshiba ’91 has ambitious goals to reduce the number of people living on the streets. (Civil Beat, 14 Feb. 2023)
Laura Ho ’18 named Narcissus Queen. (KHON, 7 Jan 2023)
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Brook Lee ’89 from KHON2 News visited Punahou to chat with fellow alum Candes Meijide Gentry ’95, who created Eat Pono with her 10-year-old son to encourage healthy nutrition and sustainable kitchen habits; Debbie Millikan, Director of Sustainability for Punahou School; and Lydi Morgan ’97 Bernal, the Oahu Farm to School Coordinator. (KHON, 10 Dec. 2023)
Punahou football player Noah Macapulay ’24 overcame obstacles to rebuild his life. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 23 Nov. 2022)
Punahou runners support homeless in Homeward Bound 5K. (KHON2, 11 Nov. 2022)
Punahou volleyball pair, Lulu Uluave ’24 and Grace Fiaseu ’23 are simply smashing. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 11 Oct. 2022)
Maile Uohara, Punahou’s director of enrollment management and admissions, appeared on KITV4 to discuss Punahou’s selection process. (KITV4, 29 Sept. 2022)
Hawai‘i’s National Merit Scholarship semifinalists are named, including 21 from Punahou. (Yahoo, 19 Sept. 2022)
ESPN Honolulu profiled Punahou senior quarterback John Sagapolutele ’23, who is headed to play for UH next year. (ESPN Honolulu, 17 Sept. 2022)
The Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community received an award of merit and Hawaiʻi Energy award for energy-efficient design in this year’s AIA Design Awards program. “An impressive collection of buildings and site features provides what can only be a pleasing, meandering experience where young students can explore and learn,” said a juror. (HawaiiBusiness Magazine, 12 Sept. 2022)
No. 1 Punahou tops No. 3 ‘Iolani in girls volleyball. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Sept. 2022)
Punahou School joined Mayor Blangiardi and representatives from Hawai’i Pacific Health, Kamehameha Schools and other Hawai’i organizations in support of the O’ahu Good Food Program. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 6 Sept. 2022)
Raquel “Kelly” Hicks ’89, Chief Human Resources Officer of Punahou School, will present at the UHA’s upcoming Work Well Summit – Belong: Creating a Supportive Culture. (HawaiiBusiness Magazine, 1 Sept. 2022)
Punahou’s night-blooming cereus flowers and grounds supervisor Michel Sebastian were featured in “Fleeting beauty: Cereus blossoms reveal themselves once a year.” (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 28 Aug. 2022)
Honolulu wins Little League World Series, beating Curacao 13-3. Congratulations to Punahou student players Kobe Hino ’28, Luke Hiromoto ’28, Kekoa Payanal ’28, Cohen Sakamoto ’27, Brennan Tomas ’28 and Daly Watson ’28. (Hawaii News Now, 28 Aug. 2022)
Punahou retiree Hiromi Peterson was awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for her many years as a Japanese language teacher and co-authoring the Japanese language textbook, “Adventures in Japanese,” for middle and high school students in the US. (Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu, 4 Aug. 2022)
Punahou tops the list of the 20 greatest athletes, teams and stories of the past 20 years. (MaxPreps, 19 July 2022)
Punahou coach Tita Ahuna is the only Hawai‘i athlete to win state, national titles as both a volleyball player and coach. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 10 July 2022)
Punahou places a strong emphasis on inquiry-led learning and the ability of students to learn, adapt, relearn and innovate, says Punahou President Mike Latham ’86, in Honolulu Magazine’s “They Felt a Calling to Return to Their Alma Maters – This Time as Teachers.” (Honolulu Magazine, 3 July 2022)
Golfer and Punahou rising senior Raya Nakao ’23 wins women’s Manoa Cup (KHON, 24 June 2022)
Kyra Lung ’23 opened her own cookie shop “Kyra The Baker” at the International Market Place in Waikiki (KITV, 22 June 2022)
Sascha Pakravan ’22 earns spot on this year’s list of U.S. Presidential Scholars. (HNN, 30 May 2022)
Punahou sophomore Sophie Chen ’24 runs a nonprofit organization involved in food waste and food insecurity called The Kokua Tree. (HNN, 20 May 2022)
Punahou wins 13th straight state title in water polo. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 8 May 2022)
Punahou picks up another crown in boys state volleyball. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 8 May 2022)
Punahou almost perfect at state tennis championships. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 8 May 2022)
Lawmakers recognized the Filipino Curriculum Project, founded by Marissa Halagao ’23, saying it helps to bolster understanding about people who make up a quarter of Hawaii’s population. (HNN, 5 May 2022)
Punahou sweeps Kamehameha to capture another ILH volleyball victory. (Yahoo, 26 April 2022)
Punahou claims another ILH girls water polo crown. (Yahoo, 23 April 2022)
Punahou has three seniors — Kaikea Harrison (Texas A&M), Cody Kashimoto (Saint Mary’s) and Justin Tsukada (Portland) — headed off to Division I schools next season to play baseball. Four other players will play at either a Division II or Division III school. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 18 April 2022)
Punahou swept Huntington Beach, California, 25-19, 25-18 in the final of the Clash of the Titans boys volleyball tournament on Saturday night. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 17 April 2022)
Punahou sophomore L. Kensington Ono ’24 penned an article about her great-granduncle Gerome Mitsuo Hirata, a nisei veteran. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 11 April 2022)
Seven students from the Academy Guitar Program prepared and submitted audition material, attended rehearsals, and recorded their parts for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) All-National Honor Guitar Ensemble. The All-National Honor Ensemble program encompasses Band, Orchestra, Mixed Choir, Jazz Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble and Modern Band. (NAfME, 29 March 2022)
A group of Hawaii high school students, including Marissa Halagao ’23, and recent graduates is leading an effort to create curriculum about Filipino history, culture and identity. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 26 March 2022)
Zoey Duan ’22 is one of the student leaders supporting the effort reduce addiction and harm from tobacco-related illnesses among her fellow youth. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 15 March 2022)
Congratulations to Alana Clayson ’24, Punahou’s 2022 Poetry Out Loud Champion! On March 11, 2022, Alana received second place in this year’s Hawai`i State Poetry Out Loud Competition and was awarded a $100 prize and a certificate. In recognition of Alana’s achievement, Punahou’s Cooke Learning Commons will also be receiving $200 for poetry acquisitions. (Poetry Out Loud, 11 March 2022)
Punahou sweeps state paddling titles. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 5 March 2022)
Zoey Duan ’22 and Sascha Pakravan ’22 are two of the 251 regional finalists selected from applicants throughout the nation for the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. (Coca-Cola, 9 March 2022)
After losing her father to a diving accident during the COVID-19 pandemic, Punahou’s Asia Lee ’22 has stepped up in the most courageous way possible, as a daughter, a sister and a standout softball player. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 3 March 2022)
Congratulations to Lucy Will ’23. Under the mentorship of UH astronomers, her research into sunspots was recently published. (UH News, 1 March 2022)
Former first lady Michelle Obama met with a group of young women in Honolulu to listen and offer support as part of the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance. “Mrs. Obama has been my idol for so many years,” said Punahou senior Allena Villanueva ’22, who was one of the participants. (People, 17 Feb. 2022)
Student entrepreneur Keira Henriques ’24 of Kiera’s Creations is a Hawai’i Entrepreneur Award Honoree. The award show premieres on March 1 on Hawaii News Now. (HVCA, 9 Feb. 2022)
Pandemic keeps public from Punahou Carnival for a second year. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 4 Feb. 2022)
Punahou Carnival hoping for big virtual turnout to bolster financial aid needs. (KITV4, 4 Feb. 2022)
Punahou Carnival 2022 is closed to public but offers virtual art gallery, silent auction. (KHON2, 3 Feb. 2022)
Punahou freshman Austen Kinney ’25 is helping address the health issue of the lack of free menstrual products in schools. She hosted a menstrual product drive with Punahou School, collecting over 8,000 individual products — 1,700 went to Kalakaua Middle School. (Civil Beat, 18 Jan. 2022)
Punahou School Carnival returns in-person on Friday, Feb. 4, open to current students, faculty, staff and their families. (KHON2, 13 Jan. 2022)
Alumni
Carissa Moore ’10 won the Sullivan Award, which goes to the most outstanding United States college or Olympic athlete. The Punahou graduate won the first surfing Olympic gold medal in the 2021 Tokyo Games. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 31 Dec. 2022)
Brook Lee ’89 from KHON2 News visited Punahou to chat with fellow alum Candes Meijide Gentry ’95, who created Eat Pono with her 10-year-old son to encourage healthy nutrition and sustainable kitchen habits; Debbie Millikan, Director of Sustainability for Punahou School; and Lydi Morgan ’97 Bernal, the Oahu Farm to School Coordinator. (KHON, 10 Dec. 2023)
Former Punahou kicker Quinn Maretzki ’20 kicked the winning field goal in double overtime in the Army-Navy football game. This is the first overtime game in the history of Army-Navy matchups dating back to 1890. (KHON2, 10 Dec. 2022)
A great story in the Star Advertiser about Punahou’s Glenn Goya ’73 pitching a perfect game in the 1972 state baseball championships, 50 years ago. (Honolulu-Star Advertiser, 28 Oct. 2022)
Susan Soon He Stanton ’99 earns Emmy for her work on HBO’s “Succession.” (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 23 Oct. 2022)
Chien-Wen Tseng ’84 elected the National Academy of Medicine. (JABSOM, 17 Oct. 2022)
Hawaiʻi Land Trust promotes Denby Freeland ’89 to director of ʻĀina-Based Education. (Maui Now, 15 Sept. 2022)
Slam poet Kealoha Wong ’95, a poet laureate, receives $50,000 grant. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 22 Aug. 2022)
Hanya Yanagihara’s ’92 book, “To Paradise,” was included on Barack Obama’s ’79 Summer Reading List. (Today, 27 July 2022)
The 26-year-old Punahou grad, Evan Nagao ’14, has a yo-yo brand, championship wins and was featured on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” (HNN, 4 July 2022)
Punahou alum Julie Brooks ’84 named new UH women’s golf head coach. (HNN, 24 June 2022)
Vonnie Brenno ’68 Cameron created 15 oil paintings of hulu kupuna on Molokai, the island’s most esteemed elders. (Molokai Dispatch, 19 May 2022)
Native Hawaiian composer and violinist Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti ‘02, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music, is premiering a composition locally. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 17 May 2022)
Punahou Trustee Ann Teranishi ’92, of American Savings Bank, was honored at YWCA Oahu’s 2022 LeaderLuncheon. (HNN, 16 May 2022)
Poet Kealoha Wong ’95 to speak at the MIT Classes of 2020 and 2021 Graduation Celebration (MIT, 9 May 2022)
Punahou’s Shelby Baron ’12 shares her inspiring story with her alma mater. (HNN, 27 April 2022)
Round three of the 2022 Lotte Championship wrapped up at the Hoakalei Country Club as golfer Allisen Corpuz ’16, Punahou and USC graduate, put on a show. (Hawaii News Now, 15 April 2022)
The 2022 Distinction of Merit and Scholastic Occupation teacher award was presented to Laura Ackerman-Biegasiewicz ’05, who teaches in Arizona State University’s School of Molecular Sciences. (ASU News, 13 April 2022)
Kawai Kelekolio ’21 penned an article calling for Hawai‘i resources to return to native Hawaiian control. (Civil Beat, 12 April 2022)
For surfing lawyer Bill Saunders ’70, playing keeps aging at bay. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 12 April 2022)
Former Punahou School standout Kaulana Makaula ’19 leaves USC to come home and play for University of Hawai‘i. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 12 April 2022)
Susan Rehberg ’66 Murray was awarded the Pacific Business News Women Who Mean Business 2022 Career Achievement Award. She recently retired as COO of Queen’s Medical Center-West Oahu. Other alumnae honored this year were: Jen Lau ’04 (EVP at Finance Enterprise) and Jennine Sullivan ’07 (Executive Director, The Pantry), along with several Punahou parents and close friends. (Pacific Business News, 1 April 2022)
Hawaii Business Magazine checks in with Emily Reber ’92 Porter, Nathan Fong ’94, Doug Shimokawa ’00 and Ann Teranishi ’92. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 25 March 2022)
Congratulations to Aulani’s Head Pastry Chef Carrie Portuondo ’97 for her outstanding performance on the Food Network’s “Spring Baking Championship.” (Disney, 3 March 2022)
David Sun-Miyashiro ’04 started HawaiiKidsCAN in 2017 to advocate for equitable learning environments for all students. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022)
Hickam Federal Credit Union donated $5,000 to Artists Save Waves, a nonprofit founded in 2019 by then-Punahou School student Stephanie Hung ’21. (MidWeek, 16 Feb. 2022)
As executive director of Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship at UH Mānoa, Sandra Fujiyama ’92 helps run 20 programs that provide mentoring and support to student entrepreneurs. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 10 Feb. 2022)
Congratulations to the following Punahou alumni who are Hawai’i Entrepreneur Award Honorees: Bella Hughes ’05 of Shaka Tea, John De Fries ’69 of Hawaiian Tourism Authority, J.T. Ojerio ’09 of Aloha de Mele, and Zak Barry ’10, Matthew Hong ’10 and Luke Untermann ’10 of Banan. Student entrepreneur Keira Henriques ’24 of Kiera’s Creations is also one of the honorees. The award show will premiere on March 1 on Hawaii News Now. (HVCA, 9 Feb. 2022)
Race Agcaoili ’18 is studying public policy at NYU and is incorporating his experience working in the PUEO Program at Punahou School as a case study in his senior project. He earned the NYU Athletic Department’s MLK Scholar Athlete Award. (NYU, 9 Feb. 2022)
Guy Churchill ’94, the Bank of Hawaii senior executive VP and director, leads the bank’s sustainable finance group, which focuses on affordable housing and renewable energy. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 9 Feb. 2022)
Mike Latham ’86, president of Punahou School; Constance Hee ’70 Lau, former president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries; Nainoa Thompson ’72, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society; and Henry Kapono ’67, philanthropist and entertainer were included among presenters at the Rotary Youth Leadership Award virtual event. (The Garden Island, 23 Jan. 2022)
Punahou Graduate Parker McLachlin ’97 is playing in the 2022 Sony Open the Waialae country club. (HNN, 13 Jan. 2022)
Masina Tupea ‘21, a Hawai‘i teen who set a national deadlifting record of nearly 320 pounds, took down a mugger who went after her family during a vacation in New Orleans. (Hawaii News Now, 5 Jan. 2022)
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Punahou sweeps state cross country team titles on foggy, muddy course at Hawaii Preparatory Academy campus in Waimea. (Yahoo News, 5 Dec. 2021)
Homeward Bound 5K is an annual fun run with a mission to help end homelessness in Hawai‘i. It is coordinated in partnership by The Institute for Human Services and the Punahou Girls Cross Country Team. (KHON2, 23 Nov. 2021)
Ellie Ochiai ’22 was named Distinguished Young Woman of Hawai‘i and will receive a four-year full tuition scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University. Zoey Duan ’22 and Christine Dong ’22 were also among the top five young women receiving scholarships through the program. (Distinguished Young Women, 22 Nov. 2021)
Scarlett Lai ’27, Punahou Music School piano student of Steven Casano, was selected as a first prize winner in an online international music competition, the Great Composers competition, featuring the “Art of Piano.” (Great Composers, 12 Nov. 2021)
The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation was named among Hawai‘i’s most charitable companies in 2021. The nonprofit private foundation is a supporter of Punahou’s PUEO Program and other local organizations. (Hawaii Business Magazine, 8 Nov. 2021)
Anna Lauren Lerner ’22 penned an editorial column, citing Arbor Day as a chance to act on the benefits of trees. “Trees are one of the most important tools in combating climate change — the most pressing issue of our day.” (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 6 Nov. 2021)
Punahou JROTC news: Remembering General Colin Powell’s visit to Punahou. (U.S. Army JROTC, 28 Oct. 2021) Cadets adopt a space aboard the Mighty Mo. (U.S. Army JROTC, 28 Oct. 2021)
Jairus Rhoades ’22 won the Young Talent division of the Aloha International Piano Festival. Rhoades competed in the college-aged division after winning the high school division in the past. Competitors included pianists from China, Japan, California, New York and Illinois. Rhoades also won the Audience Prize in his category. (Hawaii News Now, 22 Oct. 2021)
Zoey Duan ’22 earned an award from the Hawaii Children and Youth organization for Outstanding Advocate of the Year, in recognition for her work with Hawaii Public Health Institute as a youth council leader. (Hawaii News Now, 4 Oct. 2021)
Tita Ahuna‘s journey in athletics has brought her to Punahou, first as an administrator, and now as the girls volleyball coach. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 22 Sept. 2021)
Punahou’s Tevarua Tafiti ’22 is a humble star on the football field and in the classroom. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 21 Sept. 2021)
Punahou runner Malia Dickhens ’22 is on comeback trail from leg injury, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Sept. 7.
Griffin Chen ’25 was one of the members of the first-ever Honolulu Youth Commission to be sworn in by the mayor and the Honolulu City Council. The Honolulu Youth Commission provides those aged 14 – 24 with the opportunity to serve their community. They’ll also serve as voluntary advisors to the mayor and the city council on issues important to youth and their communities, reported KHON2 on Aug. 31.
KHON2’s weekly “Aloha Authentic” segment highlights various roadways across the Island to uncover the meaning behind their names. On Aug. 12, the segment focused on Punahou St. and Punahou School.
Seniors Zoey Duan ’22 and Ellie Ochiai ’22 created a vaccine hotline for people needing assistance setting up an appointment. The hotline offers support in multiple languages and was created for a class project. KHON2 featured their work on July 20.
Multiple local media outlets reported on July 9 that the U.S. Olympic swim team has been practicing for two weeks at the Waterhouse Pool at Punahou before they leave for Japan on July 12 to compete at the Tokyo Olympics (Star-Advertiser, Star-Advertiser Gallery, KHON2, KITV and Hawaii News Now).
17-year-old Beri Maeda ’22 was featured in early July on HNN’s HINow for her gourmet cupcake business. KHON2 also reported about Maeda opening her own pop-up bakery spot in Ala Moana Center.
In its 36th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade on July 8 announced Chris Paige ’21 of Punahou School as its 2020 – 21 Gatorade Hawaii Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.
On MaxPreps’ June 25 list of high school coaches with the most state championships, Punahou, which has won over 500 state championships, had the most coaches on the list with six: swimming coaches Jeff Meister, Steve Borowski and Thom Haine; cross country, track and field coaches Duncan McDonald and Al Rowan; and tennis coach Rusty Komori.
Academy Principal at Punahou School Emily McCarren and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Mid-Pacific Institute Leigh Fitzgerald co-authored the article “Education Cheat Sheet: Learning Through the Pandemic And Beyond” as a reflection and call to action for how learning changed during the pandemic and what new practices schools should continue. The article, presented in partnership with HAIS, appeared in HONOLULU Family Magazine on June 21.
Kaelah Kimura ’23, a rising junior at Punahou School, was one of nine O‘ahu high school students to take part in the Blue Planet Foundation’s Climate Crew, an educational program for high school students rooted in climate science and data-driven advocacy, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on June 7.
Punahou’s inaugural virtual Festival of Ideas shines a light on the theme of Innovation and will feature more than 50 speakers, including industry leaders, entrepreneurs and student innovators. Registration for the online event, which runs from June 7-9, is open to the public, as reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on June 2.
Ikaika Jobe ’01 – director of Punahou School tennis and former nationally top ranked doubles player – was part of the Hawai‘i doubles team that beat top players from Northern California in the 2021 Invitational Tennis Tournament, KHON2 reported on May 31.
Punahou junior Lua Bowman ’22 was named Hawaii’s first-ever youth poet laureate during the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Live @ the MACC series on May 22, reported MauiNow. The other top four finalists were also Academy students: Shea Noland ’22, Lyric Kensington Ono ’24, Rachel Waggoner ’23 and Harlequinn Wolters ’23.
Fifth grader Blake Lee ’28 published his story, “The Brave Little Bird,” on Amazon, with the help of mom Nessa Lee. The book is about how the habitat of a native bird is threatened by the Rapid Ohia Death disease and proceeds will go towards fighting Rapid Ohia Death, Lee and his mother explained on HPR’s The Conversation on May 26.
More than 360 students received their first doses of coronavirus vaccine Saturday when Hawaii Pacific Health’s COVID-19 Vax Squad Bus visited Punahou School, reported Yahoo News on May 23.
Cosette Wu ’21 from Punahou is one of two Hawai‘i students selected as Presidential Scholars, a distinction awarded to only 161 high school seniors nationwide, KHON2 reported on May 13.
Kailee Brandt ‘21, was featured on the cover of MidWeek on May 12, for earning Hawai’i’s top spot as Premiere Theater Kid.
Alex Buntin-Nakamura’s ’21 project on How Can Sustainable and Green Architecture Revitalize Hawaii’s Chinatown? earned the Global Online Academy’s (GOA) Catalyst for Change Prize for presenting a compelling and inspiring case for change, GOA announced on May 6.
Longtime Punahou Athletic Trainer Beth Ann Young was profiled by the National Athletic Trainers Association on May 4. Her accolades include distinguished awards and service awards for her dedication to the field.
Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra selected Erin Nishi ’21 and Mira Hu ’21 as two of three student concerto soloists recognized as Nā Hōkū ‘Ōpio (Young Stars) in late April.
Punahou seniors Liana Heshiki ’21 and Tiani Wayton ’21 share their experiences playing softball this year in the April 11 Honolulu Star-Advertiser article.
On April 2, Ashley Hong ’25 qualified for the National MATHCOUNTS Competition. Ashley had the second highest score in the State round of the competition and advances to compete in the National round against the top four scorers from each state. An honorable mention goes out to Ian Jun ’27 who placed fifth in the State competition and just missed qualifying for Nationals.
KHON2 News reported that Gov. Ige signed a proclamation designating April 2021 as Tree Awareness Month thanks to the Punahou Sustainability Club, which includes Anna Lerner ’22 and faculty advisor Ian Earle ’89.
Eighth grade English teacher at Case Middle School, Christina Torres, was one of three Hawai‘i teachers among 50 educators from across the United States and Canada selected for the prestigious Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship, reported KITV on March 14. On May 3, Torres talked to Hawai‘i Public Radio about teaching in these current times and what post-pandemic education might look like.
Cosette Wu ’21 was named a Coca-Cola Scholar. She is one of 150 high school seniors nationwide who will each receive a $20,000 college scholarship in recognition for having a positive influence in the community.
Girl Scout and Punahou third grader Laurel Schoen’s ’30 essay titled “What Space Travel Will be Like in 10 Years” is one of 21 essays and artwork selected from 700 entries submitted by Girl Scouts from across the U.S., Japan and Germany that will be sent to the International Space Station, reported Hawaii News Now on March 18.
Hawaii News Now highlighted the efforts of Sascha Pakravan ’22 on March 16. Pakravan created a nonprofit called Words4 to provide free reading resources for families, including dozens of read aloud videos of children’s books. Pakravan was recently recognized with a Prudential Spirit of Community Award as Hawai‘i’s Top Youth Volunteer and was honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
A Civil Beat story published on Feb. 23 about COVID-19 testing in schools quoted Punahou Director of Communications Robert Gelber ’92: “The school will be rolling out a voluntary testing program for K-12 families and already has begun rapid antigen testing for staff and students participating in certain athletic programs.”
Local media outlets all reported on the effort made to make Punahou Carnival happen this year. In an interview that KHON2 News aired on Jan. 29, Carnival co-chair Tate Goodman ’22 said, “It was hard to alter a long-standing tradition that has been going on since the Great Depression, but we’re so grateful that we were able to create some new traditions and still raise funds for students in need of financial aid.”
Civil Beat published a story on Jan. 12 about how local teachers were talking about the attack on the U.S. Capitol with students. Eighth-grade faculty member Christina Torres was interviewed for the story. “I’m not trying to show them (news) images and say, this is what you’re trying to take away, but a framework of how we can talk about these things,” Torres said. “One of the reasons why our country is so divided is we’ve been so scared to talk about these issues as a nation. It’s led to all these issues gunked up inside us.”
Alumni
Dawn Szewczyk ’94 was appointed Director of the Department of Facility Maintenance by Mayor Blangiardi. (Honolulu.gov, 30 Dec. 2021)
Kimi Takazawa ’88 and Ballet Hawaii celebrate Christmas with unique televised version of “The Nutcracker.” (Yahoo News, 12 Dec. 2021)
Former Punahou football standout and current Pac-Five coach Kena Heffernan ’92 is this week’s Throwback Thursday focus. (KHON2, 9 Dec. 2021)
Comedian Tumua Tuinei ’14 will be taking center stage at the Blaisdell on Dec. 10. (Hawaii News Now, 5 Dec. 2021)
John Leong ’96: Kupu CEO helps the unemployed find good jobs — and helps sustain our communities at the same time. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 3 Dec. 2021)
Meli James ’96 co-founded Mana Up in January of 2018 to help build 100 product-based businesses headquartered in Hawai‘i. (HiLuxury, December 2021)
The roundup of Week 12 of the NFL season features players with Hawai‘i ties, including DeForest Buckner ’12, Ka’imi Fairbairn ’12 and Manti Te’o ’09. (KHON2, 29 Nov. 2021)
Known for her dedication to the well being of children, the founder of the Children’s Discovery Center in Kakaako, Loretta Yajima ’64, has died. Yajima earned many acclaims and recognitions for her life’s work and dedication to bettering the lives of children. (Hawaii News Now, 29 Nov. 21)
Island History: The pig shooting incident at Halfway Bridge, Kauai in 1856 with Samuel Thomas Alexander, a student at Punahou. (The Garden Island, 29 Nov. 2021)
Nick Velasquez’s ’13 dream has come true. The former Punahou all-state guard is playing professional basketball — in Armenia. (Hawaii Prep World, 26 Nov. 2021)
Duke Clemens’ ’19 versatility made him a recruiting target for many schools on the West Coast. Now the Punahou alum is at the center of a revival in Westwood of the UCLA Bruins. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 24 Nov. 2021)
Filmmaker and historian Bob Liljestrand ’59, who preserved Ossipoff “masterpiece,” dies at 79. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 22 Nov. 2021)
Kamea Hadar and his team with Pow! Wow! recently finished the mural that features Carissa Moore ’10 and Duke Kahanamoku, who are both Olympic gold medalists. (Hawaii News Now, 13 Nov. 2021)
Tim Carson ’96 is SMS Research and Marketing Services’ new president and CEO, taking over the helm from longtime Chairman and President Hersh Singer. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 9 Nov. 2021)
Meli James ’96 shares the wealth, launches new venture capital fund. (The Business Journals, 29 Oct. 2021)
CJ Perez ’21 is shattering glass ceilings in the sport of hydrofoil racing. She is the first woman ever to make Team USA’s SailGP pro team, which just finished second in the world after competing in Spain. (Hawaii News Now, 18 Oct. 2021)
A poetic and photographic celebration of Punahou’s beloved night-blooming cereus by writer Ligaya Mishan ’88 and photographer Linny Morris ’73 for T: The New York Times Style Magazine. Hanya Yanagihara ’92 is the magazine’s editor in chief. (T: The New York Time Style Magazine, 11 Oct. 2021)
Candace Johnson ’70 is among the prominent women featured by Fortune Magazine who are innovating and investing in space-based technologies. (Fortune Magazine, 4 Oct. 2021)
President Joe Biden nominated state Attorney General Clare Connors ’92 to be the next U.S. Attorney for Hawai‘i. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 28 Sept. 2021)
Heperi Mita ’03 grew up in Hawai‘i and mainland United States with his New Zealand filmmaker parents, Merata Mita and Geoff Murphy. When he arrived in Aotearoa 10 years ago, he decided to become fluent in te reo, Māori language. He describes his ongoing journey to reach that goal. (NZ Herald, 15 Sept. 2021)
Carissa Moore ’10 becomes first surfer to win Olympic and world titles in same year. (Yahoo News, 15 Sept. 2021)
BuzzFeed’s Sept. 11 article about famous people who went to high school together includes Kelly Preston ’80, who graduated from Honolulu’s Punahou School in 1980, a year after President Barack Obama ’79.
Morning Brew, the neighborhood coffee hangout in Kailua owned and operated for 26 years by Punahou School graduate Peter Anderson ’83, was mentioned in Civil Beat on Sept. 7 as part of a roundup of island coffee shops that provided solace to patrons during the pandemic.
New York artist Jen Lewin ’92 designed one of the 78 fiberglass cows for a public art exhibition in the boroughs of New York City. The cow, titled “Edison Cow,” was decorated with light bulbs and hangs upside down in Industry City, reported the New York Times on Aug. 23.
Carissa Moore ’10, Erik Shoji ’08 and Taylor Crabb ’10 were mentioned among Hawai‘i’s athletes in a Yahoo News recap of the Olympics on Aug. 9.
NBC Olympics highlighted the accomplishments of Punahou alumni athletes in a video shared on July 28 and broadcast on TV as part of their Olympics coverage. NBC called Punahou a school “that seems to have a special knack for churning out Olympians … not to mention former United States President Barack Obama.” More than 30 U.S. Olympians have been graduates of Punahou School, and there hasn’t been a U.S. Olympic team without a graduate of the School since 1972.
Local and national news outlets, including the New York Times, reported on July 27 that Carissa Moore ’10 captured the first ever women’s gold medal in surfing at the Tokyo Olympics. “I feel super blessed, super fortunate. It’s been an incredible experience,” Moore said about winning the gold in an article by NPR.
On July 26, the Independent shone a spotlight on Carissa Moore ’10, the most successful and high-profile female surfer in the world and a Punahou graduate, who is competing in the Tokyo Olympics.
Taylor Crabb ’10 made the Team USA beach volleyball team, but unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19 while in Tokyo and won’t be competing, announced the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on July 22.
Four-time surfing world champion Carissa Moore ’10 is aiming to win gold as the sport debuts at the Tokyo Olympics, as reported by NBC News on July 22.
A few Punahou alumni will be competing at the Tokyo Olympics this summer: beach volleyball player Taylor Crabb ’10, surfer Carissa Moore ’10 and indoor volleyball player Erik Shoji ’08, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on July 18.
Hawai‘i volleyball icon and Punahou alumnus Kevin Wong ’90 will be a part of NBC’s Summer Olympics coverage for the third straight games, KHON2 announced on July 18.
Outfielder Cole Cabrera ’17, who played the past four seasons at Cal Poly, is joining the University of Hawaii baseball team as a graduate transfer, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on July 18.
A Punahou grad and former state wrestling and judo champ, J.T. Ojerio ’09 is the artist behind the brand “Aloha de Mele” and was featured on July 8 on Hawaii News Now.
As the Tokyo Olympics draw near, four-time world surf champion Carissa Moore ’10 is one of the top American athletes to watch, reported USA Today on June 28.
Punahou alumnus Erik Shoji ’08, son of retired Hawai‘i women’s volleyball coach Dave Shoji, made the United States’ men’s Olympic volleyball team. Shoji will play in the Tokyo Games next month, along with fellow Hawai‘i players, including brother Kawika, who make up 25% of the team, announced the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on June 14.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi nominated Ann Botticelli ’77, a former journalist and airline executive, to the Honolulu Police Commission, reported Civil Beat on June 12.
Environmental “ARTivist” Stephanie Hung ’21, a recent graduate of Punahou School and founder of Artists Save Waves, unveiled her latest mural in Pearl City on June 7 in recognition of World Oceans Month, announced KHON2 on June 10.
Punahou alumna Chloé Selarque’s ’11 intricate embroidery pieces that capture Hawai‘i’s natural beauty were featured in the May issue of Honolulu Magazine.
Rachael Wong ‘90 is one of four local women being honored for her leadership and community service at YWCA Oahu’s 2021 LeaderLuncheon. Wong, interviewed by Hawaii News Now on May 17, is the founder of One Shared Future (OSF), which imagines a positive future for Hawaii and brings people together to collectively create that future.
The new Miss Hawaii is 2014 Punahou graduate Courtney Choy ’14, reported the Honolulu-Star Advertiser on May 17. Choy is a summa cum laude graduate of the Shidler College of Business and a graduate from the William S. Richardson School of Law. Competing as Miss Chinatown Hawaii, she beat 16 other candidates to become the 76th woman to hold the title of Miss Hawaii.
The Honolulu-Star Advertiser announced that five Hawai‘i men’s volleyball players received All-America recognition from the American Volleyball Coaches Association on May 3, including BYU setter Wil Stanley ’16 and UC Santa Barbara outside hitter Ryan Wilcox ’18 as an honorable mention. In other men’s volleyball news, the Honolulu-Star Advertiser reported that the University of Hawai‘i team won the May 8 NCAA men’s volleyball championship in Columbus, Ohio. The team included Kana’i Akana ’18 and Akaka’i Todd ’18.
Patrick O’Neill ’11 and four college buddies are part owners of “Hot Rod Charlie,” a horse competing in the Kentucky Derby. O’Neill was in Louisville with Punahou friends from the Class of 2011, reported NBC Sports on April 30.
KHON2 reported on April 25 that pro golfer Alex Ching ’08, with caddie Robby Toma ’09, won the 63rd Mid-Pacific Open, his first professional win.
John De Fries ’69 is thriving as president and CEO of Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, reported MidWeek on April 14.
Hawaii surfer and Punahou alumna Carissa Moore ’10, four-time world champ, won the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup at Australia’s Merewether Beach, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on April 9.
Gov. David Ige appointed Dr. William Haning III ’67, an emeritus professor at the UH medical school and Punahou alumnus, to the University of Hawaii’s Board of Regents, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on March 30.
After over a year off from competition, Punahou graduate and golfer Michelle Wie ’07 West is making her LPGA return this week at the KIA Classic in Southern California, reported KHON2 on March 24.
On Feb. 23, Hawaii Business Magazine announced its annual “20 for the Next 20,” which profile 20 people that will have a major positive impact on Hawai‘i over the next two decades. This year’s list included three Punahou alumni:
- Makena Coffman ’98, Director, UH Mānoa’s Institute for Sustainability and Resilience
- Doug Johnstone ’00, Hawaiʻi President, The Howard Hughes Corp
- Carissa Moore ’10, Professional Surfer
On Feb. 19, local news outlets celebrated the role Christopher Pong ’04 played in NASA’s successful landing of the “Perseverance” rover on Mars. Pong is a Guidance and Control Engineer at NASA and was in mission control for the landing. “It was a very emotional moment,” he said. “I got teary-eyed and it was just such a huge relief that we made it there successfully.”
The entertainment world mourned the loss of Allan Burns ’53, creator of ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show.’ Burns passed away on Jan. 30 at his home in Los Angeles. The New York Times noted in its obituary for Burns that he won Emmys for his work on that show and helped create the spinoffs “Rhoda” and “Lou Grant.” Among his other creations was the cereal mascot Cap’n Crunch.
Local media outlets reported on Jan. 16 that Nancy Weiner ’91 Cordes was named as the new CBS Chief White House Correspondent.
KITV4 reported that on Jan. 8 that DeForest Buckner ’12 had been named to the Associated Press NFL All-Pro first team. The honor came for his stellar first year with the Indianapolis Colts during which he recorded 58 total tackles, two forced fumbles and 9.5 sacks – a Colts franchise record for a defensive tackle.
2020
School
The Clarence T.C. Ching PUEO Program was featured in a Hawaii News Now story that aired on Dec. 2. “As a young kid from Kahaluu what it really did was not only open my eyes to college and the idea of college, but really gave me the tools and the essentials on how to get there,” said PUEO alumna Precious Totten.
Punahou President Mike Latham ’86 penned an article that was published in the Nov. 18 issue of MidWeek. The article recounted a traumatic event in his life that ultimately led him to his career as an educator. “Realizing how fragile life is can sometimes give us the courage to pursue the life that is best for us,” he wrote.
Alumni
Hawaii News Now aired a story on Dec. 1 about Nick Kapule ’17. Now in his senior year at Pitzer College, Kapule is working to help Native Hawaiian students with distance learning by donating laptops to kids who need them. “I’ve heard of kids who don’t have a laptop, who don’t have an iPad. They’re unable to learn, unable to access books, access the internet, access the sort of resources to support their education, and that’s tough at a time like this where people need online resources,” Kapule said.
Self-taught artist J.T. Ojerio ’09 was interviewed on Dec. 1 by Hawaii News Now. The former wrestler with a master’s degree in exercise physiology discovered the therapeutic healing powers of art as she recovered from a surgery.
On Nov. 19, Hawai‘i Magazine praised “Pipe Dreams: The Dark Secret Behind Hawai‘i’s Most Notorious Crime,” a newly published crime novel by John Madinger ’71 that centers on the Massie case and murder of Joseph Kahahawai.