Opening Days
As has been a tradition for many years, the school year began with smiling faces and helping hands as our student leaders welcomed new and returning students and their families to our campus. The red shirts of our faculty, staff, dorm prefects, and student ambassadors speckled the campus as families arrived.
Dorm Wars and Student Activities
Once everyone had arrived and school had begun, it was time to enjoy some of the many traditions we have at HPA while also building new ones! From the start of our annual Dorm Wars Competition, weekend and evening activities, and the introduction of new sports in our Intramural Tuesday Night Leagues, there was lots to do every week!
Outdoor Program
Off campus, students had dozens of opportunities to explore Hawai’i Island through our Outdoor Program; hiking, swimming, snorkeling, finding hidden waterfalls, overnight camping, surfing, and much, much more!
Athletics
The HPA Ka Makani had another standout year in athletics, winning multiple island-wide championships. Our teams and programs are bolstered every year by the contributions of our residential students, some of whom are playing sports like football for the first time in their lives!
Lava Lounge
This year also saw the full-fledged return of a long-standing tradition, HPA’s Lava Lounge, a series of open mic nights for students to share music, poetry, prose, art, and good company.
Theater Performances
Aside from a variety of music, theater, and stagecraft courses available, students were also able to participate in our two main shows of the year, the musical Cinderella and the stageplay You Can’t Take it With You!
International Day
Each year, HPA celebrates the members of our community with a day dedicated to our international Residential Life community. Each International Day features workshops facilitated by international students directly, teaching the rest of the community about customs and activities from their home countries. There is also a talent show, though the day’s main event is an international lunch prepared and served by the students themselves!
Olympics
One of the longest-running HPA traditions, the HPA Olympics are three days of fun, games, and competition that range from serious athletic showdowns, brain-stretching puzzles and engineering challenges, art, performances, and silly games! Congratulations to this year’s champions, the Class of 2023!
Formal Dinner
Formal Dinner is a tradition that stretches back to the founding of HPA, when students would gather every night in formal attire for dinner. Over the years, the frequency has decreased until the pandemic put it on hold entirely. This year, the elected Dormitory Representatives worked together with the administration and our food service providers to bring it back! We look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come and thank our student leaders for their dedication to an HPA tradition!
Spring Travel Program
Over Spring Break, HPA students traveled across the globe as our student travel program, Ka Makani Travel, made its much-anticipated return! Students spent two weeks either traveling across Japan or through multiple countries in Europe. Guided by HPA faculty, they were able to enjoy authentic cuisine, experience new cultures, and broaden their global perspective.
Prom
The HPA Senior Prom is much more of an all-school activity, with nearly 300 students attending this year! Students got dressed in their most formal attire, enjoyed an excellent dinner, and an evening of non-stop dancing at the Four Seasons Hualalai resort!
Capstone Showcase
As the year started to draw to a close, the seniors took the spotlight as they showed off their year of work for their capstone projects. Each student had the opportunity to present their project in the Gates Performing Arts Center auditorium, and many were able to show off their products at the Capstone Showcase the week before. Well done, seniors!
72nd Annual Commencement
The 72nd Annual Commencement at HPA was a momentous occasion filled with both joy and bittersweet emotions as we bid farewell to our exceptional group of seniors. The ceremony was a testament to their hard work, dedication, and growth throughout their time as Ka Makani. To our seniors, we say farewell but not goodbye. You will always have a place in the HPA ʻohana. Here are some highlights and photos from the event.
Commencement links
The Moments Between: Boarding @ HPA
Of course, big events and fun activities do not make up the entirety of a year, and there were many little moments in between. Here are snapshots of our students living in the dorms, living and learning together, and taking in all that HPA has to offer!
Mahalo for another incredible year!
We look forward to welcoming our returning Residential Life students back in the fall. In the meantime, we hope everyone enjoys a wonderful summer break.
Hamilton Ford
Director of Residental Life