Category: Alumni & School Community

Every graduating class carries its own story — friendships built, lessons learned, and dreams that slowly shape into plans. For the Class of 2012, those dreams are now scattering across the map as our newest alumni step into the next stage of their journeys: college life. When I look at this list, I see more…

Walking through the halls of memory, it’s humbling to think of the generations of Iolani alumni whose stories shaped our school yet whose current whereabouts have become unknown. From the earliest classes of the 1920s to the graduates of the early 2000s, each name carries a legacy—of friendships, of classrooms, of moments that, once lived,…

This year, I had the chance to meet some new members of our school community. Each one brought not just skills and experience, but stories that made me pause and reflect. Their journeys reminded me why education is never just about facts—it’s about people, passion, and small everyday discoveries. Michelle Hastings: A Global Educator When…

The first thing you notice in Dr. Calvin Oishi’s office isn’t the medical equipment. It’s the walls. Jerseys, team photos, faces of athletes frozen mid-play. It feels like you’ve stepped into both a doctor’s clinic and a shrine to sports. And maybe that’s fitting—because Calvin’s story has always been about the meeting point of discipline,…

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” – Albert Einstein I remember the first time I heard about Dr. Timothy Cottrell joining ‘Iolani. It was a balmy summer morning, and the campus buzzed with anticipation—new faces, new ideas, and a fresh sense of possibility. But behind the calm Hawaiian…

I’ve always admired people who dedicate their lives to shaping others, and Dr. Carey “Doc” Inouye ’66 is exactly that kind of person. Having walked the halls of ‘Iolani as a student, teacher, coach, and now as Dean of Instruction, Doc’s impact on our community is profound and enduring. When I first met him on…

I’ve always believed that some people leave footprints so deep, you can feel them long after they’re gone. Eddie Hamada ’46 was one of those people. I first learned of him not through headlines or awards, but through stories from teammates, students, and colleagues who still carry his lessons in their hearts. Eddie wasn’t just…

I still remember the first time I heard someone chant “Up, up-down, up-down…” — not at a game, but in a chemistry class. That was the kind of magic Pamela Fujinaka brought into her teaching: formulas turned into rhythms, lessons transformed into memories. Pamela, or simply “Fuj” as her students called her, spent decades shaping…

I remember the first time I watched Kristine Wada ’02 perform the Japanese tea ceremony. There’s something mesmerizing about the deliberate, graceful movements — the way she turns the bowl, arranges the table, and even positions her guests. Kristine calls it ichigo ichie, a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to “one chance, one moment.” And…