The Sullivan Center

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“We are extremely grateful to the Sullivan family for sharing our vision for the future of learning at ‘Iolani School,” said ‘Iolani Headmaster Dr. Val T. Iwashita. “The Sullivan Center will build upon the academic excellence for which 'Iolani is well known and will help to ensure the school will continue to pioneer educational opportunities into the 21st Century.”

Joanna and her late husband Maurice J. "Sully" Sullivan together opened Foodland, Hawai'i's first supermarket, in 1948.  Sully was one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Hawai'i history as he brought McDonald's to the islands and opened more than 100 retail outlets across the state.  The Sullivan family has long supported a wide range of worthwhile projects for Hawai'i's non-profit organizations including Chaminade University, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the University of Hawai'i Cancer Center, Ronald McDonald House, and Punahou School.

“My family and I are delighted to be a part of this very important new venture for ‘Iolani School,” said Sullivan. “Two of my grandchildren are graduates of ‘Iolani so I am well aware of the positive impact the school makes on children’s lives. I applaud the school’s efforts to foster creativity, collaboration, and the pursuit of passion in this new center.”

In conjunction with the school's 150th anniversary, groundbreaking for The Sullivan Center is scheduled to take place in summer 2012 with completion in fall 2013.  The four-story, 40,000-square-foot facility will be situated in the center of the 'Iolani School campus.  With flexible learning spaces and advanced technology, the center is designed to stimulate discovery, collaboration, creativity and communication.

Students from kindergarten to 12th grade will engage in hands-on activities -- from robotics to innovation to design thinking and community service -- as they participate in multi-disciplinary projects that add new relevance and meaning to what they learn in the classroom. With an exterior that will be largely glass, The Sullivan Center will be one of Hawai‘i's first Collaborative High Performance Schools, incorporating LEED Silver environmental design elements, an urban roof-top garden, energy-efficient design, and other sustainable features.

The Center's ground floor will house a community area for students as well as robotics labs and workrooms. The second floor will include a state-of-the-art library, archives, and seminar rooms. The third floor is where community service projects will be based; it will be fully equipped with white boards, a seminar room, media lab and a video production center. The fourth floor will contain movable wet labs for science classes, conference rooms, and flexible project space to foster design thinking and innovation. The roof will be home to an urban garden where students learn about sustainability and gain firsthand experience in the process of taking food from farm to table.

The total cost of The Sullivan Center will be $23 million. The generous lead gift from Joanna Lau Sullivan has enabled 'Iolani School to now launch a Capital Campaign to fulfill its fundraising goal during its 150th anniversary year.

Founded in 1863 by King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, 'Iolani School is situated on a 25-acre campus and serves more than 1,800 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.  A culturally diverse, co-educational, college preparatory school with approximately 285 full-time faculty, 'Iolani is rated among the best independent schools in the country for its academic, arts and athletics programs.