Posted on: Wednesday, September 18, 2002

Punahou, Iolani win Asia studies grants

Advertiser Staff

The Freeman Foundation has awarded $826,000 in grants to Punahou School and Iolani School for their Asia studies programs.

A $376,000 grant to Iolani School will give students a chance for foreign travel.

The four-year grant will underwrite the costs of sending students and teachers or chaperones to Asia in the summer as a way to enhance the school's Asian studies programs.

The first trip will be to China next summer.

The grant also will pay for two full Iolani School scholarships to students who have recently emigrated from Asia and who are entering Iolani in the ninth grade. Qualifications include demonstrating financial need and exhibiting promise in academics, athletics or art. The Freeman Scholars program begins this school year.

The Freeman Foundation awarded Punahou School $450,000 to launch an Asia-Pacific Educational Exchange Center to promote cross-cultural awareness at the school's Wo International Center.

Punahou officials say the opportunity will let them create programs that will unite K-12 private and public schools and post-secondary schools in strengthening teaching and learning throughout the region.

The Freeman Foundation was established in 1992 by Houghton "Buck" Freeman to strengthen U.S.-Asia understanding.