The school welcomed 30 of the 45 members of the Class of 2010 back to the campus on January 5, to reconnect with each other in person, and visit with faculty who joined them for breakfast. The added purpose for the morning event was to share their first semester experiences with the current classes of 2011 and 2012 at a special assembly.

After general comments about transitioning to college life, the Class of 2010 fielded questions from current students about subjects from dorm food and getting along with roommates to time management and what NOT to do when you find yourself with more independence. Common threads of advice from the Class of 2010 to students anticipating college included:.

• Be yourself; don’t let others tempt you to do things you are not comfortable doing.

• Don’t procrastinate; use study skills you learned at IPA.

• Get out and get involved; meet new people; become part of campus life.

• You can survive a mismatched roommate the first semester; there are alternatives/strategies.

• Stay in touch with friends from your IPA Class; they are going through same things (especially in regard to missing things Hawaiian) and can be a good support, even via email or Facebook.

• Take a rice cooker to college on the mainland.

Those interviewed shared several ways in which their IPA education and experience was helpful to their success in college, including:After meeting with the juniors and seniors, several alumni sat for videotaped interviews about their transition to college and ways in which they felt IPA had prepared them for college. With few exceptions, the Class of 2010 feels their college choice was a good one for them, even though getting over homesickness (for those on the mainland) or trying to commute and develop more independence from parents (for those living on Oahu and attending college locally) have been challenges for some.

• Writing, writing, writing; having the training and experience of frequent essays.

• Small, supportive environment; confidence to talk with teachers and seek out help.

• Learning the joy of learning, not just doing something for a grade.

• Emphasis on thinking, logic; being able to take apart a problem and find an answer.

• Opportunities to be involved in many activities and have leadership experience.

The video comments will be available online soon.

In early December, various homerooms and groups packed Hawaiian snacks and other treats into “care packages” for the alumni, sent with good wishes for their first set of final exams. Like her classmates, E. Joy Baclaan expressed how much she appreciated the munchies, and the surprise and pleasure of being remembered. She headed to first grade teacher Patricia Delacruz’ classroom to thank her and her students for packing her “care package” and left a present for the students, in return.

Those alumni who had already returned to college were missed. We look forward to having more of them together during the summer break, when another gathering will be planned.