NAPILI, Maui — Maui Preparatory Academy is a testament to the adage that it helps to have friends in high places.

The independent school, which opened in September with nearly 40 students in grades 6 to 8, has experienced phenomenal success in its first year and is destined for more growth as plans for pre-kindergarten and elementary components proceed ahead of schedule.

Head of School Jack Rizzo attributes Maui Prep's strong start to the can-do manner of its parents and high-powered board of trustees and supporters, foremost of which is Maui Land & Pineapple Co.

The company last week announced an $850,000 gift that will provide $700,000 toward construction of the elementary school and $150,000 for scholarships and tuition assistance, with preference given to children of ML&P employees.

The campus sits on 15 acres donated by the company, with classrooms built from dormitories that formerly housed farm workers.

David Cole, chairman, president and chief executive officer of ML&P, said there is a clear need for more schools in the expanding West Maui region, where the company has substantial resort, residential and farm holdings. Establishing a new school near Kapalua also fits with ML&P's plans to create a holistic community in the resort area that includes educational, health, recreational and other facilities, Cole said.

Rizzo estimates it will take $1.7 million to $2.5 million to add pre-kindergarten and elementary classes, and he is confident the fundraising goal will be met, allowing Maui Prep to quadruple its enrollment in its second year.

Other recent support has come from the likes of Joe Torre, manager of the New York Yankees, who hosted a Jan. 10 fundraiser for the school that netted $70,000. On Dec. 30, Jim Furyk, Rory Sabbatini and other pro golfers participated in a benefit golf outing that raised $75,000.

Its toney connections and pricey tuition may have given some residents the impression that Maui Prep is exclusive. After all, when the school wasn't quite ready to greet its first students in September, classes convened at the Kapalua Bay Hotel until the new campus opened the following month.

Rizzo dispelled the notion, saying that about 60 percent of students receive financial aid.

"This is not a school just for rich, white kids. I will quit if it is," said Rizzo, who served as principal of public and private schools in Massachusetts for nearly 20 years before moving to Maui with wife, Anne Marie, Maui Prep's development director.

ML&P's scholarship fund will go a long way toward building a diverse student body, he said.

In the meantime, applications are being taken for grades 6 to 9, with testing on Saturday, and Feb. 25 and March 11.

What are you most proud of? "Without hesitation, both the kids and staff and the way they appreciate their school home," Rizzo said.

Everybody at our school knows: Tom Rosenquist, president of the board of trustees, "because of his commitment and passion for the school."

Our biggest challenge: "Keeping up with the rapid speed of our growth."

What we need: Additional funding for the elementary school.

Special programs: A Hawaiiana program headed by Clifford Naeole, cultural adviser to the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.