This open-sided hale standing beside Ka Punahou was gifted to Punahou by Luanna Farden ’56 and Peter McKenney to honor their late son, David Ka‘aumoana McKenney ’83 (Ka‘au), a beloved, seventh-grade social studies teacher at Punahou.
With ‘ohi‘a posts from Hawai‘i Island, a lava rock floor and moss rock walls, Ka‘aumoana serves as a learning space for students and teachers; a gathering place for mele, hula and storytelling; and also a special spot on campus for personal reflection and contemplation, says former Punahou President Jim Scott ’70, who conceptualized Ka‘aumoana as Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community for Grades 2 – 5 was being planned.
Scott says Ka‘aumoana was created as a metaphor for continuous renewal, restoration and replenishment for a community of lifelong learners. Fresh springs from Ka Punahou now flow through Ka‘aumoana, offering its life-giving force.