The Luke Center embraces community service, service learning and social entrepreneurship for grades K-12, contributing to the school's public service and sustainability initiatives. While community service involves traditional volunteering and philanthropy, service learning describes thoughtfully organized service that is linked to the curriculum. Social entrepreneurship teaches students to become innovative problem solvers and agents of social change.
Luke Center for Public Service is committed to communicating about service, creating meaningful service opportunities, and convening service-related conversations for students and teachers. The Luke Center develops programs with the following objectives in mind:
To support and enhance student development in social responsibility;
To promote the connections between service, spirituality and character education;
To develop interdependence and a sense of community;
To create meaningful links between service, sustainability and social entrepreneurship and the curriculum; and
To meet community needs and take an active role in Punahou's vision of a private school serving a public purpose.
Overlooking the lily pond at the heart of campus, the Luke Center facility was built through a generous gift from the K.J. Luke Family. Since opening its doors in April 2004, it has welcomed a steady stream of students, teachers, staff, parents, alumni, community members and others interested in making a difference. Its central location near Thurston Memorial Chapel encourages links between spirituality and service.
The Luke Center would like to acknowledge gratefully, the generous support of the following organizations and foundations:
K.J. Luke Family Omidyar Foundation Starr Foundation Hawai'i Community Foundation Hawai'i Nature Center Gift Foundation of Hawai'i Shinnyo-en Foundation
