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5.26.2008

punahou is sports illustrated's number one high school

Sports Illustrated has named Honolulu's Punahou School the number one high school athletic program in the nation: Fast Times at Punahou. This year's "Best High School Athletics Programs" is in SI's May 26 issue, which hit newsstands last week. Since 1958, the prestigious school has maintained a rich tradition of athletic excellence, racking up 368 Hawaii championships—with 16 state titles and 12 Division I recruits during this school year alone.

Punahou has also generated scores of star figures in a variety of sports at the college, Olympic and professional levels. And many of those kids are Asian Pacific American, in everything from football to water polo to golf, including pro golfer Michelle Wie and football coach Norm Chow.

In addition to its super-sporty former students, Punahou notably gave rise to one very well-known political alum: presidential hopeful Barack Obama, class of 1979. He was a reserve on the Punahou's state-champion basketball team that year. Not only a stirring speaker, but also a baller.