Opening Chapel The school year began with the annual Chapel service in September. Two simultaneous services were held this year — one in the Lower Gym for students in kindergarten and grades seven through 12, and another in St. Alban’s Chapel for grades one through six. Seniors escorted the youngest students, hymns were sung, and Upper School Hula Kane performed a powerful dance. Senior Proconsuls and sixth graders led commissionings reaffirming the community’s commitments. Chaplains Arakawa and Morehouse introduced this year’s theme, “Answer the Call,” drawing from Isaiah 6:1-8 to encourage students to embrace challenges with courage. The services provided a meaningful and inspiring start to the school year.
Scan to watch the Lower School Chapel
Scan to watch the Upper School Chapel
National Merit Semifinalists Congratulations to the 22 members of the ‘Iolani School Class of 2025 named National Merit Semifinalists. These senior class members are among 74 students from Hawai‘i and 16,000 across the U.S. who earned the honor, placing them in the top 1% of PSAT test takers. As semifinalists, they now move forward to compete for more than $26 million in scholarships awarded this spring by sponsoring colleges and corporations. An additional 28 ‘Iolani seniors will be named National Merit Commended Students.
‘Iolani’s 22 National Merit Semifinalists are: Owen Banks ’25, Nicholas Biega ’25, Aaron Ching ’25, Vince Ching ’25, Jeremy Cho ’25, Ryan Eto ’25, Kevin Fleming ’25, Lance Geyer ’25, Michael Hui ’25, Ethan Jow ’25, Keisuke Kwong ’25, Ainsley Lee ’25, Chase Lee ’25, Logan Lee ’25, Audrey Lin ’25, Tamara Lum ’25, Tobias Nell ’25, Sao-Mai Nguyen ’25, Malia Nishida ’25, Emi Okimoto ’25, Andrew Shiinoki ’25, and Chisato Tarui ’25. Congratulations, seniors!
STEMplus On September 11, the Office of Community Science (OCS) hosted its first STEMplus teacher workshop of the year, aimed at connecting Hawai‘i educators with STEM experts and projects. This year’s focus is on supporting Nā Wai ‘Ekolu, a group of K-12 educators and community organizations working on student-led stream health monitoring in the Ala Wai Watershed. 12 educators and one ‘Iolani student participated, representing multiple schools and organizations. Dr. Yvonne Chan and Dr. Yin Phan Tsang discussed water quality parameters and the need for consistent monitoring, emphasizing the role of students in driving change. Ms. Andi Charuk led a stream monitoring simulation offering teachers hands-on experience. Over dinner, participants shared insights on structuring student learning and envisioning a healthier Ala Wai Watershed. Teachers completing the workshop exited with knowledge to guide their students in monitoring stream conditions and contributing data to a public database for better understanding and stewardship of Hawai‘i’s waters.
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