Residential Life

For many students, the boarding program at Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy is central to the HPA experience. The ability to live with students from around the island of Hawai‘i—and from around the world—gives each student the opportunity to be a part of a community of motivated students and dedicated teachers. The connections that are made between students go beyond life-long friendships to a feeling of ‘ohana (family).

The residential life curriculum provides a safe, healthy, environment with high standards for social conduct and personal integrity. Students are expected to strive for honorable, respectful, and responsible lives as they support, and learn from, their community.

There are three dorms on campus separated by gender. Most students live in a double room and many upper class students are assigned a single room. All rooms have high-speed Internet access and the dorms’ common area include computers, table games, and fireplaces. Residential dorm parents also serve as classroom teachers and coaches. Students benefit from the availability of their teachers in the dorms and develop important relationships with their dorm parents because of the multiple connections in the classroom, on the playing field, and in the dorm halls. The small average number of students per dorm parent (8:1) means that dorm parents can focus on each student individually to help ensure a successful HPA Experience, academically and socially.

The HPA campus is located outside of Waimea (Kamuela), Hawai‘i, a small town located in the heart of the world-famous Parker Ranch. The spirit of aloha with a Western flair provides a welcoming and safe location for students to live. Round the clock campus security supplement the residential staff living on every floor. In addition, the campus has a full-time Health Center with nurses on call 24/7.

The community-oriented residential life curriculum focuses on healthy socialization and personal responsibility. Students participate in campus community service tasks, such as cleaning the dorms, classrooms, or helping in the dining hall. There are various opportunities for residential students to gain valuable leadership skills at HPA as a dorm prefect or a dorm representative for the Student Council and by participating in the many ongoing leadership training sessions in the dorms throughout the year.

Students enjoy a robust, engaging, and fun student-run activities program. A variety of activities are available to students on and off campus and take advantage of the cultural, social, and natural opportunities available on the island. In addition, every Wednesday and weekend, there are regular shuttles to Waimea (Kamuela) where there are several restaurants and shops. There is a regular weekend van to the beach and regular trips to Kona or Hilo for movies or shopping at the larger department stores. Monday nights are traditional formal dinners with faculty families at each table and students in formal attire.

The daily schedule provides structure for students with opportunities for interaction between students and dorm faculty/dorm parents. After classes end, the typical boarding student schedule would include:
Afternoon sports & activities

Free time
Dinner
Supervised study hall
Dorm chores
Free time
Mandatory lights out