At the beginning of their school year, Punahou President, Dr. James Scott, challenged the faculty to incorporate Hōkūleʻa and her worldwide voyage as an extension of their classroom.
“It’s a combination of Hawaiiana, global education, languages, science, technology. So it’s about the boat, and it’s about the canoe, but it’s also about teaching the kids values. how to conquer their fears and how to learn 21st century skills and values and qualities,” said Dr. James Scott.
The faculty was invited to get a hands-on experience of how to incorporate the canoe in their lessons by joining the crew on an afternoon sail.
“Coming together at this moment in time, to support the Worldwide voyage, to support Hawaiian culture and history, and language and just bringing in the next generation to celebrate what our parents and grandparents have worked so hard for. To be here in this moment. But it’s also a joy to bring students and faculty and alumni, and to be able to share with those who are not able to be on the voyage or on the canoe, or on the escort boat. but can do it remotely,” said Kylee Mar, an archivist at Punahou School.
“From a teacher role, what we hope that the students will get out of it is a few things. One is a sense of self. to know who they are, the privilege of going to Punahou, and the responsibility to share what they’ve learned. Connecting it to their everyday life, um..that they are learning about themselves, so that then they can connect to wherever they end up in the world as graduates,” said Mar.
“Nainoa Thompson is a class of ʻ72 graduate of Punahou school. i was two years in front of him with his brother Myron. He is an inspiration. So we are teaching kids how to become the mind of the navigator, the values of a navigator, and as they do, I think we are teaching the 21st century skills,” said Scott.
