The Essentials of the Human Potential.
Let’s acknowledge the amazing feats of people who inspire the essentials of the human potential through the common good. People who understand their kuleana and incubate miraculous conditions for people and place to soar.
Kuleana is a value shared and practiced by many Island and indigenous communities. Traditional Hawaiians believe its one’s personal commitment, responsibility, obligation to a person, family, community, cause and the universe. For example it’s Aloha Chicks saying, “Relax, we’ll take care of it.” The intent of the words is real, truthful and purposeful. There is no place for cavalier hearsay or falsehood.
Punahou’s Essential of the Human Potential
Earlier this year I shared the history of my alma mater, Punahou. Punahou is an institution founded in the tradition of human excellence and unparalleled stewardship. It’s a place where community and education come together to develop extraordinary citizens. What I failed to mention is Punahou’s commitment and kuleana. Their dedication to raise the sails allowing the winds to navigate private education for a public purpose.
Through my own stubbornness I remained at arms length from a school who gave me more than the 4R’s. Side by side my parents and Punahou, cultivated a young person’s capacity. A capacity to explore, to question, and to digest. Cultivated the excitement to learn, to challenge, and to enjoy. Instilled the boldness to succeed, to fail, and to try. Inspired the courage to support, to endure, and to be an underdog. Challenged the desire to surprise, to lead and above all gave me hope and opportunity.
Self-Realization of the Human Potential
Luckily I’m not so stubborn I don’t recognize my own stupidity. To realize the arms-length stand off left me uninformed and disengaged. More importantly I was disconnected. While at home I re-acquainted myself with a program championed by Punahou’s President, Mr. James Scott (’70). The program metamorphosed by its Alaka’i (leader), Mr. Carl Ackerman. For nearly fourteen years, Mr. Ackerman cultivated PUEO, Partnerships in Unlimited Educational Opportunities. A program from a private school with a public purpose which bridges service, education and community.
PUEO’S Captain Champions the Human Potential
As we move into 2019, PUEO is championed by Dr. Kehaulani Kimberly Kealoha-Scullion (’80); my sister. Her colleagues work with her as a Chair of the Academy Social Studies Department. Others as PUEO’s Dean of the Faculty and Year-round Events Coordinator. However as a sister, Dr. Kealoha-Scullion brings a Kealoha life practice. A life practice of serving through administrative acumen, uncompromising academic patriotism and cultivating the essentials of the human potential.
Punahou’s PUEO program evolved from San Francisco’s Lick-Wilmerding’s “Head, Heart and Hands” initiative. It inspires students to become lifelong learners who contribute to the world with confidence and compassion. Since 1974, this focus is at the core of Lick-Wilmerding’s purpose.
PUEO’S Mission
PUEO’s primary mission raises the aspirations of the underserved public school students. Specifically, the underutilized potential and low economic. PUEO prepares them to attend and complete college. From Waianae to He‘eia and from Kahalu‘u to the Neighbor Islands and the mainland there are 80 partner schools. By Summer 2019, PUEO awarded 359 scholarships to students who will be taking classes on the Punahou campus this summer.
The Program inspires students (and their families) to marshal and prize mindfulness, resilience, collaboration, citizenship and stewardship. Admittedly I am biased. However I am not so unaware that at the tender age of 14, I understood the privilege of attending Punahou. For those who do not live in Hawaii and may not be in-the-know of academic stars, Punahou is a blazing star. She pioneers Hawaii’s ability to educate, inspire and prepare exceptional citizens, creatively and critically.