'Iolani School

My Godson scored (11) eleven goals for his teams waterpolo victory Parking lot Water fountains

5-21-23 Dance Showcase was held in the upper gym. We left home 2-1/2 hours before showtime and the parking structure was already so full. We got one small stall on the top level in the sun.Fortunately they had a bake sale plus snack goodies and bottled water that I so desperately needed. Not even June but it's definitely very hot.The gym was packed with guests even sitting on the gym floor on one side of the perimeter.So cute to see the little ones just mastering tumbling to the 3 honored seniors. The instructors were decked with leis.Costumes ranged from ballet tutus, grass skirts, cute activewear, risqué almost bondage type get ups and lots more.Dances included breakdance by a crew which was surprising to see. Of course you come to see your dear to your heart performer but also enjoy many other groups and varied selections.Save the best for last, just like graduation, the flowers, leis, tributes from family and friends.

Excelling in excellence, Iolani Schools has provided a high standard in the state of Hawaii.I remember growing up days, the school I wanted to go to the most was Iolani. But being from the typical Chinese family, my mother told me it was more important for the boys to get that "excellent education". Which was indicative of the earlier days where the student population at Iolani seemed to have skewed towards Chinese males. Heck, at one time it was an all male school.Today's student profile boasts both male and female and a broad spectrum of ethnicities. And I am always happy to see my friends' kids attending my brother's alma mater where academics has always excelled. More recently I have enjoyed the numerous musical presentations the talented young men and women of Iolani have been performing. And happy to see them under excellent tutelage of friend Mary Chestnut Hicks and other outstanding talents. Theatre is top grade. Facilities well maintained. Staff are doing such an important and excellent job.Iolani, keep doing what you do in molding and encouraging our young children into outstanding future leaders of our community. You rock!

The pride, sportsmanship and character of this facility and those associated with the great sport of wrestling are to be commended for their unwavering commitment towards excellence and the spirit of Aloha that resonates throughout the students, staff and parents.It is a privilege and an honor to officiate here.We all must work proactively in this post pandemic world and the COVID preventive measures in place have helped make the resurgence of wrestling apart of our lives again.I'm sure we all look forward to some normalcy in the near future, where masks will no longer be required to participate in wrestling here in Hawaii.Until that day comes, Mahalo to all that overcome these inconsistencies to keep the great sport of wrestling alive and well.PIN TO WIN!

Every time I come here, I'm impressed with so many things. The campus is beautiful and clean. You don't see rubbish on the ground. The people are friendly and helpful - always asking if you need help. Parking is accessible and signs are clearly marked for visitors.

This review is based on the gym.. I came to my daughters first ever ILH competition last night and I must say this school keeps their campus and gym clean! Gym is a really nice size for basketball games with bleachers on both sides of the gym. Very nice staff in the athletic department that was there as well, very friendly. We had a wonderful time last night at this competition. Everyone had fun!

Without a doubt, 'Iolani School is one of the best independent schools in the country. The many state and national accolades garnered by 'Iolani students in academics, athletics and the arts are the fruits of the school's "One Team" philosophy.Widely recognized as having the state's best SAT preparatory program, students from high schools across the state, both public and private register for the 'Iolani SAT prep course and, more than half of the National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists in Hawai'i come from 'Iolani, annually."'Iolani no ka oi!"

I am not a lawyer or a doctor or an engineer.In fact, I majored in dance at the University of Hawaii and am currently a stay-at-home mom.It was never a question in my mind whether or not I would attend Iolani. My older brother, one of my most favorite people in the world, attended Iolani and I always said that I would too. And I did.My parents struggled to pay tuition (which back then was a bargain at $7500), and for a while I wondered if it was worth it. I didn't love my high school career. I was awkward, insecure, antisocial, unpopular, and feel like I made a million mistakes. Unlike my husband who was prom king and the coolest cat in town in his high school, I hid in the music library and could not wait until graduation so I could get out of there.Despite the best intentions of my college counselor, who would ambush me in the hallways insisting that I apply for UC Irvine and the like, I applied only to UH. After all, my greatest ambition in life was to get married and have children. I also thought I wasn't very smart or talented, which is just a testament to how competitive Iolani is. It is not for the faint of heart. There are world-class students, geniuses, prodigies, star athletes, and the bar is extremely high. I was quite surprised when I arrived at UH and was suddenly deemed brilliant and "gifted". I have a friends who are rocket scientists and surgeons, THEY are intelligent.That's the thing about Iolani, though. Even someone like me, a girl who didn't have the highest aspirations, who sometimes tried to take the easy way out, who didn't spend a single second preparing for the SAT, it still taught me so much.Now, when I look back at my time at Iolani, I do have some very fond memories. I remember Mr. Hackler making Asian Studies absolutely fascinating, I remember standing with him in the hallway as he called his mother for last minute help with my history day presentation, I remember him convincing me to take AP US history even though I didn't want to. I remember being yanked out of my easy-option senior year science fiction class and being sent to Dr. Webb's classroom where he brusquelly informed me that I would no longer be enrolled in science fiction and that I would, in fact, be taking AP English with Ms. Longo and that she was expecting me that very minute.The teachers at Iolani care. Students do not slip through the cracks. There are no cracks.I am now so incredibly grateful that I was given the opportunity to attend Iolani. That when my parents ran out of money and couldn't pay for my senior year, Iolani found me a scholarship so that I could stay and graduate with my class. I am thankful to be in the company of amazing people who are doing amazing things, I am glad that I can easily help my children with their homework, I am glad that I know how to craft papers and spell, and I greatly value the notions of hard work and constant improvement that were drummed into me during my time there.Iolani is a special place. It is not for everyone. It is a lot of hard work and studying and striving to meet high expectations, and sometimes there are things that are more important in life.But as a creative person who didn't follow the typical Iolani path, I value the time I spent there so very much. It was absolutely and definitely worth it.

What can I say? As I drove by the school last week on a visit home from the mainland, my heart swelled with pride. I'm a proud alumni of the days just before Iolani went coed. That was a tough change for me at first for the history and pride of an original all boy's school, but the diversity and strength brought into that history brings an even greater proud feeling to this alumni. I'm a proud student, disciple, and profoundly changed person of Mr. Keables tutelage. I still feel it's a quiet and extremely classy academic and all around extracurricular excellence in athletics, performing arts, music, and college preparatory leadership compared with the purposeful visibility of our old competing and larger college prep school in Honolulu.

We are applying for kindergarten and during the tour it was obvious this school is excellent in terms of academics and other programs. What the school is very clearly lacking though is a diversity. It is very obvious when one visits the campus.I think the leadership of the school needs to invest more time and resources in attracting a more diverse ethnic student body.