‘Iolani School held a traditional Hawaiian groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for its new on-campus residence hall that will mark the next milestone in reinstating the school’s boarding program. The five-story dormitory will house up to 112 students in grades 9-12 and host neighbor island, domestic and international students beginning in the fall school year.

“An education that includes cross-cultural experiences is beneficial for all ‘Iolani students as we prepare them to be successful leaders in the competitive global marketplace,” said ‘Iolani Head of School Timothy Cottrell. “The ability to communicate with — and appreciate the perspectives of­ — people who come from a wide range of different backgrounds not only creates meaningful global relationships, but also build students’ desire to improve the world around them.”

The residence hall will be built on campus where the current head of school residence is located. G70 is the lead architecture firm on the project and Nordic Construction serves as the general contractor.

‘Iolani was originally founded by King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma as a boarding school and housed students from around the world from 1862 through 1959. The school’s most famous alumnus, Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Republic of China, was a boarding student who graduated in 1882.

Currently, more than 50 international students attend ‘Iolani.

The re-establishment of the school’s residential program is part of the campus expansion outlined in its multiyear strategic plan that included direction from the school’s Board of Governors, faculty and administration.

‘Iolani’s campus expansion also includes the development of new classrooms, studios and labs for the Lower (elementary) School.

“Hawaii offers students from around the world an outstanding education experience, and ‘Iolani School’s boarding program marks a significant step in establishing this reputation around the world,” said Hawaii first lady Dawn Amano-Ige, who spoke at the ceremony.