Slam poet Steven “Kealoha” Wong ’95 is here as Punahou’s Writer-in-Residence, bringing powerful performances and inspiration throughout November.
A member of the Punahou Class of 1995, Kealoha graduated with honors from MIT with a degree in nuclear engineering and a minor in writing, before becoming a professional poet in 2002. The first Poet Laureate of Hawai’i, Kealoha’s high-energy performances focus on identity, local and Hawaiian culture, climate change and even metaphysics. He has led writing and performance workshops with students across the country and is familiar with campus as an alumnus and parent.
Kealoha now brings his expertise as a writer and performer to Punahou, visiting different grades over three weeks in November: Case Middle School on Nov. 4 and 5, kindergarten through grade 5 on Nov. 12, and the Academy on Nov. 18 and 19.
Additionally, Kealoha will host two public events in Dillingham Hall. On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Punahou will screen Kealoha’s feature film, “The Story of Everything,” which blends poetry, dance, music, art and special effects to explore explanations for the origins of life.
On Thursday, Nov. 21, Kealoha will perform onstage alongside student poets selected from classroom sessions during his residency for “Verse and Vibes: Kealoha and Friends Live at Punahou!” This collaborative performance will cap off his residency, and is sure to leave a lasting impression.
The founder of Hawai‘i Slam, Youth Speaks Hawai‘i and First Thursdays, Kealoha was honored as a “National Poetry Slam Legend” in 2010. He has collaborated onstage with local musicians Jack Johnson, Henry Kapono and Hapa. He was featured on HBO’s limited series “Brave New Voices” and has appeared on NBC, PBS, the Food Network, National Public Radio and the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards.
The residency is made possible by the Wing Tek Lum ’64 Endowed Fund for the Hawai‘i Writer-in-Residence Program at Punahou School, with additional support from the Patty Smith ’80 Endowed Fund.