Inviting all Punahou high school graduates to comment about their favorite Punahou memory. That includes any Punahou graduates that may even be running for President of the United States, running large corporations or just kicking back on the beach. A large group of alumni are gathering on LinkedIn to network with one another, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to join us.
Hawaii was certainly a wonderful place to attend high school. Memories of high school events somehow seem to fade away with the sunset. Anyone have fond memories of beach parties, prom nights, the Punahou carnival, malasadas, ferris wheels or lily ponds?
Comment below to share your most memorable time with Punahou.
Old School Hall, Punahou Campus
Pauahi Hall, Punahou Campus
Hi Sherry,
Did you attend Punahou? I did some consulting work for Kamehameha in the 90’s and had a chance to visit Punahou.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Yes. I attended Punahou for many years. It was truely a unique, rewarding, enriching experience I shall never forget.
Aloha Sherry,
Punahou contributed to my life in ways that are immeasurable. The memories are precious now. Punahou was and continues to be blessed with many gifted teachers and administrators dedicated to keeping the campus at the cutting edge of academia.
Many a night I was up until the wee hours of the morning writing papers and studying college thickness textbooks in preparation for the constant battery of quizzes and exams. The hard work and discipline instilled by our teachers prepared many of us for the challenges of college, career, and life. We were inspired and taught that with determination any one of us could one day walk on the moon, discover a cure for cancer, or run the country as President of the United States. Dreams do come true with the help of Punahou. We knew our mission in life was to make a difference and leave the world a better place.
When I first arrived at Punahou I discovered the Banyan tree behind Winne Units. I could get lost among the vines and climb up into it arms that reached for the sky. I missed my old friends from Kahala Elementary and so found solace in the protection of this giant on the comparatively massive campus. I remember the tranquil Lily Pond by the Thurston Chapel where we dipped our feet and caught tadpoles and guppies. It was a precious retreat to sit by the rocks. Not to mention a temptation for many of us to break the rules and cross over to the little island.
Then there are memories of Senior Skip Day where the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode up the Cooke Library steps on their faithful steeds. I also distinctly remember the back of a pickup truck with a bathtub full of bubbles and laughing seniors and a streaker(those were the 70’s) narrowly avoiding a female teacher armed with a curved handle umbrella. Ok, maybe those weren’t the kind of memories you were looking for. I digressed.
Recently, I was able to travel to DC for the inauguration and reunite with several former Punahou classmates. It was amazing! What a handsome group of alumni and teachers. We are so proud of “Barry”! I really do need to get used to calling him Barack…….lol. We all remember him as humble, kind, intuitive, funny, and confident. Did we all hide our childhood angst so well back in those days?
I thank you for the invitation to reminisce about Punahou memories. Despite how hard it seemed in those days to navigate the complexities growing up at Punahou, I regret my own five children will not have that opportunity. They do have the next best thing though. They have Punahou alum as their mom!
Warm aloha, Lori
Really cool Sherry. I’ve got a few vintage alumni pics I can post here. I even have a video I took of the 25th reunion.