Celebrating 60 Years at Damien Memorial School

Getting to understand the most significant events in Damien's timeline

By: Darin Wong

Pictures by: Darin Wong

The celebration of the 60 year Anniversary is a massive accomplishment for students, faculty, staff, and alumni at Damien Memorial School. It recognizes many of the school's achievements in the time period, ranging from the school’s opening and recognizing the first graduating class of 1966, to making the change to going co-ed, and more. Ke Ali’i caught up with Phil Higa, a graduate of Damien in 1998, and current senior English teacher, to discover more on the 60 years of history leading up to today and on topics that remain fascinating to the school today.

On April 29th, 1960, the era of Damien got underway with the first plans announced as an all-boys school in Kalihi. The school, named after Saint Damien de Veuster, was led by the Christian Brothers of Ireland, and was composed of four freshman classes at the time. Ke Ali’i found that “spreading Catholicism in Kalihi, and to give an opportunity for an education to those who may not have an opportunity to do so” was a big reason behind the creation of the school and why tuition was lower than competitors. The eventual first day of school was on September fourth, with principal Brother Thomas Regan welcoming the students in. When the school began to settle in one year later, volunteers, students, and the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers built a seven-acre track for its campus. The track project was finished on March 22nd, 1963, a little over a year after being announced it would be worked on. As the first era of Damien began to conclude, the first group of students graduated in June of 1966, with their commencement activities held at Farrington High School. 

As the next chapter of the school began to take place, having proper facilities was the next major obstacle for Damien. A gymnasium would certainly do just that, and more. The gym was created with the intention of becoming all-purpose for academic and athletic life on campus. Cost for funding the project was 500,000, which was financed by the support of the Damien community. It was named the Bishop John J. Scanlan Gymnasium was completed by late 1978.

One of the biggest changes in Damien’s history has been the transition from an all boys school to going co-ed. Prior to the change, Higa pointed out the experience at the time being very different, and being “confronted with a lot of ideas and behavior” opposed to other kids that came from public schools. In 2012, the first 64 girls got to experience the Damien Difference, one that was never achieved before. He also discussed how things changed for the better, and the change in academics that couldn’t have been possible without girls arriving. Previously, Damien was an all-boys school for nearly five decades until it was decided to expand their education to reach out to larger groups and families, in order to accept females to the campus. The reasoning behind this was to expand the student population and to offer the daughters and sisters of Christ the values and opportunities that Damien provides.

The different presidents in charge of leading Damien have changed three times in the last decade leading up to today. Bernard Ho was the first person to be named president of the school and served from 2007 to 2015. Ho led the part of the process in admitting girls, leading up to his retirement in 2015. He was in charge as the Clarence T.C. Ching Building was ready to open, and strengthened the school framework for technology and systems of communication. His successor would eventually be Wes Porter in 2016. Porter was a formal lawyer in the U.S. Justice Department, before coming to Damien, where he would eventually spend two and a half years. 

Then, once again another change happened. Brian Walsh followed him up, being a Christian Brother and a career educator who had a great legacy in the Edmund Rice Christian Brother Schools and the essential elements in them. Walsh served as president immediately in the second half of 2018-2019 and the 2020-2021 school year before leaving. Therefore, as the search for a successor after Walsh took place, principal Dr. Kyle Atabay became interim president at the time. In May of 2022, a replacement was finally found as Dr. Arnold Laanui took the head of school role, as it still is today. Laanui is a former FBI special agent and former alumni of the school from the class of 1986.

Damien has a lot of fun moments in his 60 years of history up to this point. From the school being built to the first kids entering the school, and the interesting results that have come, there is a lot to be proud of and excited about in the near future. Some notable past experiences Ke Ali’i discovered include the first Burning of the DM, Field Days, and Luaus. The past experiences set up the future using the many building blocks and fun times as a motivation to continue going. As a community, people just need to work together and remain fluid so that the great memories can keep on coming even through times of uncertainty and struggle.