E. Students can recognize the broad applicability of their knowledge and skill sets, and independently apply their learning in new contexts.

1. I connect knowledge and skills within and across disciplines.

2. I evaluate experiences or solve problems using knowledge and skills from multiple disciplines.

3. I articulate the relevance of my learning.

1.  After my Shanti Alliance cohort disbanded,  I was the only one left pursuing restorative justice. The confidence I gained from my involvement with performative arts enabled me to feel less daunted by this one-person mission. The etiquette I learned from performance about poise and voice has helped me converse with esteemed figures like Leslie Morioka appropriately. Much of restorative justice practice is done through example. As I advocate for RJ, it is also my job to practice it. Embodying different circumstances as a performer has literally increased my capacity for empathy. Much of acting is about asking what is my point of view on this situation? Much of restorative practices includes creating mutual understanding between parties. 

2.  Although I didn't realize it then, I bridged my problem solving skills derived from the "stepping stone method," in chess with my approach to the restorative justice issue. Integrating an entirely new culture into Punahou is no easy feat, and it was unclear to me how I would approach the problem. With the help of Shanti Alliance, we identified the different "stepping stones." Inciting passion within students was the first stepping stone, receiving support from the administration was the second stepping stone, and making the curriculum permanent was the third stone. Although this plan did not carry out, the idea is still relevant to how the stepping stone method can be used to outline a thorough plan.

3.  Much of my interactions with restorative justice has been data collection. I have come to terms with the fact that Punahou's current state is not ready to fully embrace restorative justice. So, my learning is relevant to more than just what I hoped to achieve with Punahou. Restorative Justice is not only a system of justice, but a way of life, also known as restorative pedagogy. It includes embracing an open mindset, seeking avenues of understanding and connection with others, and keeping communities together. I hope to pursue the dramatic arts, which asks the artist for vulnerability, and as I transition into the next part of my life, or what I like to think of as the very beginning of my life, I will carry the lessons that I've learned to protect my own mental health, and help others do the same. 

A. Students can enact open-minded listening and thinking skills to engage empathetically with people and with different points of view.

             1. I demonstrate a willingness to have my mind changed by others.

2. I ask questions to understand the points of view of those I work with.

3. I encourage groups to incorporate a diversity of thought in our work.

1.  I entered my experience with Shanti Alliance as a very reserved speaker and thinker. I wasn't inclined to be take sides on issues I wasn't directly involved in. I was uncomfortable even when, in our meetings, we talked about issues like LGBTQ+, illegal immigration, and gun rights. For the first year, I said little and kept my opinion to myself. However, I realized that the problem was not that my Shanti Alliance members were "oversharing," but that I was the one scorning their passion. Slowly, I tried to release my judgement, and I became more open to their ideas. I used to believe that overly passionate people were "cringey" and sappy–a very juvenile belief which stopped me from having an opinion and being a critical thinker. As I entered my junior year and began performing, these things changed. Now, I have strong opinions on many political issues and stand in support of groups I used to not want to associate with. But one thing that I always keep in mind is that I must not be swayed by the extreme. At the end of the day, I have to use my own judgement. Being for one side does not require me to be for its every argument (like cancel culture, no thanks).

2.  After Shanti Alliance meetings, I often walked with one member, Mika, back to our bags. We would discuss what had been said in the meeting, and I would often ask her questions as she was more knowledgeable and well-read on politics. However, I didn't do this in meetings because one side of advocacy culture that I don't appreciate is the feeling that to be an advocate, one must know everything and have all the answers. It's as if saying the wrong thing, or missing a piece of information means that you are not truly passionate about this subject. I find this more prevalent when working with peers of my own age, but I enjoy working with older folks, such as adults. I had many good conversations with adults at the Justice Innovations Conference who are experts in the field. As the power dynamic is clearer between us, I wasn't afraid to bombard them with questions and didn't have to worry about putting up a fake front of having a library full of knowledge on restorative justice.

3.  One thing I noticed with my Shanti Alliance cohort was that there was a lot of talk about philosophy, and less talk around actionable next steps. I remember at certain meetings with SURF teachers and administrators when we would talk for an hour about the deans' hopes for the future with restorative justice, but nobody mentioned how we would bring their hopes to life. So, during the times which I did speak up, it was usually to offer a segue into "so, what are our next steps?" Because I was more outcome-oriented (which is not always the best), I introduced diversity of thought by finding ways to weave the good philosophies my other members discussed into tangible goals.

D. Students can respond to a true need in a community and take impactful action.

1. I investigate the needs and concerns of a community.

2. I engage with the perspectives of community members to understand context and complexity.

3. I co-design an action plan with the community.

E. Students can reflect upon how privilege and power have the potential to guide decision making.

4. I recognize power and privilege are not equal for all in a society.

5. I investigate how differing power or privilege impacts members of a society.

6. I explore ways that power or privilege could be used to create opportunities for others.

1. Part of Shanti Alliance's mission is for high school students to idnetify and fix a problem within their school. As Punahou steered in a direction of creating community awareness and bonding, we identified the lack of that transformation within the student body. Each individual student was not given the green light to be vulnerable with administrators and teachers. They were only told in large assemblies or in front of a whiteboard that (read this in a robotic voice) "it is good to share your feelings." Part of investigating a problem is to ask for honest opinions about it.

2. As I researched restorative justice, I talked to my friends about it a lot. My friends, who have all come in little to no contact with Punahou's disciplinary department felt little to no attachment to those involved such as the deans, SWELL, and SURF because those departments are not marketed as accessible for all students. My friend used the SWELL once, and her experience was quite pleasant, but we reflected on it later and identified that most students don't regularly seek refuge in the SWELL because they're marketed for people who are "struggling," and very much so, which is not something that anyone wants to admit they are. 

3. The Shanti Alliance Laulima Cohort designed our action plan with the deans initially to find a way to implement restorative justice immediately. When that didn't work, we turned to the community to implement our idea. To be honest, we didn't do any surveys when coming up with our action plan, and I haven't done any surveys either. I have, however, taken advice from my friends as I mentioned earlier. 

4. Power and privilege are not equal in society, which I saw when I was talking to the deans. Of course, their age, status, education level make them superior to me in terms of power, and their word is more final than mine. However, unspoken nuances such as respect for adults disallows me from speaking my mind in a completely honest manner. While we both have to choose our words correctly, they wield the power in the conversation. However, this power imbalance is not exemplary of greater and more detrimental power imbalances in the world. In the ballpark of the intersection between schools, student bodies, and restorative justice, the imbalance of power inhibiting the establishment of a desired "safe" community is relevant.

5. Differing power or privilege impacts society both far and near from me. An example near to me is my parents, who grew up in very underprivileged communities and circumstances, eventually making their way to America. Their drastic change of lifestyle gave them a zero fluff, no excuses mindset, one that is good for accomplishing tasks, appreciating life, but lacks in emotional sensitivity. A lack of emotional sensitivity is part of America's individualistic mindset, and restorative justice works to eliminate that.

6. The world is built upon connections. Power and privilege are tools to be leveraged to change lives. I explored the uses of power and privilege mainly through my appeals to higher powers. As someone of "lower" status compared to administrators, I had two options: appeal to them or skirt around them. I realized that power and privilege dictates everything that we do. In their daily lives, humans accomplish tasks either to please someone else, or to please themselves. There is always a motive to get something. That something is derived from power.