Jak pointed out today that Punahou has adopted a new slogan on their website - “Kindergarten through life.”  Sure, the slogan is a bit pompous, perhaps, but it does really underscore the appeal of Punahou for parents in Hawaii.

I think the greatest benefit of Punahou is that the school focuses heavily on preparing students for college.  Few students that graduate from Punahou end up skipping college, particularly if they attended the school since kindergarten.

And, given that college does play a key role in the future prospects of a student, I think it’s fair to emphasize that the education at Punahou will have a lifelong effect on a student.

What Punahou’s new motto doesn’t capture, however, is the lack of diversity a student would experience if they went to Punahou from K-12.  While academically these students would probably be very well-off, I think the private-school environment makes it difficult for a student to develop street smarts, the understanding of different viewpoints and ability to interact with people who do not fit within the private school mold.

As a K-12er myself, I feel that Punahou did do an excellent job of keeping me on the right track, while eliminating many of the negative influences that could have derailed my education.  At the same time though, eliminating negative influences does not teach one to deal with negative influences – in many ways it just creates a false sense of security.

I suppose if a student was fortunate enough to be able to attend Punahou for their entire life, then that’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked.  However, I do think there are aspects of childhood that Punahou hides from its students, and this is something that the school and parents need to be conscious of.  After all, once a student graduates from college, they will be exposed to colleagues and competitors from a variety of backgrounds.  This is where street smarts are needed, even in a professional environment.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS