The Cornerstone of Connection

Heading into 2026 with a reaffirmed North Star at Mid-Pacific

Mid-Pacific origin story is wonderfully unique. As our school’s website shares, it “was born in 1908 from the coming together of the Kawaiaha‘o Seminary for Hawaiian girls, Mills Institute for Chinese Boys, The Okumura Japanese Boarding School, and the Korean Methodist School for Boys and Girls.”

In 1908, the world was navigating uncertainties that eerily mirror our own. However, at its inception and as society grappled with the upheavals of the First Industrial Revolution, Mid-Pacific’s founders chose to build a distinct kind of school – one based not on exclusivity, but on the strength of diversity.

In fact, when our first building rose, co-founder Francis Damon didn’t just invite dignitaries to witness history. He ensured that students from Hawai‘i, Korea, Japan, and China stood at the edges of the first cornerstone as it was laid, asking the students to declare the physical and symbolic foundation of Mid-Pacific secure. In that profound moment he made a radical commitment: this school would be built on the enduring power of community rather than the passing pursuit of individual prestige.

It was a powerful visual statement. In a polarized world that emphasized division, Mid-Pacific’s founders declared that we are instead built on the strength of our diversity.

History moves in cycles. Today, in an era of deep disruption like the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the instinct to isolate can overwhelm the human need to connect. At Mid-Pacific, however, our instinct is the opposite; we connect. We connect because we believe that true belonging is the antidote to the polarization we see in communities close to home and across the globe.

A Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

In launching Aspirations 2035, we are acting on the core belief that the students who will thrive in the coming decades will be community builders. We believe that belonging is the bedrock of their capacity to lead, innovate, and rebuild communities. Aspirations 2035 doesn’t just observe societal trends; it guides us in teaching the mindset required to overcome the polarization we see in the world today.

As we launch the “Strengthening the Community” pillar of this strategic plan, we are doing more than reaffirming our founders’ direction. We are elevating their original insight, knowing that Mid-Pacific’s inclusive culture is the precise counterweight for this moment in history.

Our theory of action is clear: Students who feel a sense of belonging within a cohesive school community, and who understand how systems benefit when a community is prioritized above self, will ultimately become the leaders the next generation needs.

Investing in Human Infrastructure

Understanding the task ahead, I am happy to announce that the Board of Trustees has challenged us to develop the infrastructure necessary to strengthen the Mid-Pacific community. In so doing, they also committed to funding a new Community Engagement position within our Enrollment Management office.

This strategic Board action confirms our belief that “admissions” isn’t a transactional endeavor. It is about beginning a lifelong relationship with our students and families, spanning from an introduction to our community to a 60th-year alumni reunion.

In the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), our distinct advantage remains our community-based human intelligence – an advantage that is fully leveraged through deep relationships found within diverse communities that emphasize belonging. By deepening our sense of community, we empower students to connect with each other and to develop the diverse networks that will shape the new era.

Rooted and Reimagined

Under the guidance of Aspirations 2035, our work to deepen community and belonging will take several forms, rooted in our history yet reimagined for the future:

• Our Sense of Place Matters: We honor our roots in the ahupua‘a of Waikīkī and the moku of Kona. Strengthening community means deepening our relationship with Hawai‘i’s culture while simultaneously expanding our global partnerships.
   
• Redefining School Spirit: We are cultivating traditions where students, staff, and parents explicitly say, “This is my community; a place I feel connected to; a place I feel at home.” This includes reimagining our celebrations and recognizing athletics and the arts as essential drivers of pride.
   
• Community as a Long-Term Asset: In an uncertain world, human networks are the most valuable infrastructure we can build. We are fostering stronger student and alumni engagement to create a network of mentors and opportunities that extends well beyond graduation.

A North Star for 2035

In 1908, Francis Damon knew that a school was more than bricks and mortar. He knew that a school needed a community in order to thrive. And in order to thrive, he knew that a school community needed students with diverse backgrounds, views and skillsets standing at the corners.

Just as Francis Damon urged the community to “get above your denominational or national preferences and plunge into the broader current of young life,” we are called today to place the potential of our students ahead of our personal positions.

By endeavoring in this good work, we are able to transcend the growing trend of social isolation, empowering students to strengthen positive relationships and build impactful networks. We are able to do this because Aspirations 2035’s North Star remains just as it was in 1908 – we succeed because our community is built on the strength of diversity.