Bill Text: HI HR161 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Resolution 161 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: 2015 State Teacher of the Year and District Teachers of the Year

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2015-03-17 - Resolution adopted in final form. [HR161 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-HR161-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	161
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

CONGRATULATING cATHERINE cAINE as the 2015 hawaii state teacher of the year, jAMIE tAKAMURA as the 2015 central district teacher of the year, mASARU uCHINO as the 2015 leeward district teacher of the year, ELIZABETH fRILLES AS THE 2015 WINDWARD DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR, dAVID hUITT as the 2015 hawaii district teacher of the year, rICHARD aRASE as the 2015 maui district teacher of the year, AND mARLY MADAYAG as the 2015 kauai district teacher of the year.

WHEREAS, the people of the State of Hawaii take great pride in recognizing and honoring the superb achievements and notable contributions of educators who, through their extraordinary dedication and personal efforts, significantly improve the quality of education for the children of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the quality of education rests heavily upon the shoulders of academic instructors and administrators, whose hard work and dedication are important to the character development, happiness, and success of each generation of students; and

WHEREAS, each year, the Hawaii State Department of Education honors Hawaii's best educators with its Teacher of the Year awards; and

WHEREAS, CATHERINE CAINE, a teacher at Waikiki Elementary School, is the 2015 State Teacher of the Year, being selected from a group of Hawaii's best and brightest educators thanks to her exemplary commitment to teaching and her innovative, student-based inquiry approach to secondary education, which sets high expectations and has yielded exceptional results; she creates a classroom environment in which her students can shine, feel comfortable asking questions, and learn and grow from their experiences; her genuine care for students extends to the entire school community, demonstrated through integrating technology to motivate her students to tackle relevant issues that engage them, which makes learning meaningful, memorable, and fun; and

WHEREAS, JAMIE TAKAMURA, a curriculum coordinator at Red Hill Elementary School, is the 2015 Central District Teacher of the Year, a result of her outstanding team-building and leadership skills; she was instrumental in making Red Hill one of only three schools statewide to be recognized for high performance and closing the achievement gap in the last school year; and

WHEREAS, MASARU UCHINO, a third grade math teacher at Momilani Elementary School, is the 2015 Leeward District Teacher of the Year, selected due to his commitment to excellence in education and the instrumental role he plays in integrating standards-based learning into an original musical he writes, directs, and produces each year; he also founded an afterschool running and fitness group: "The Momilani Fit Factory"; his recipe for success: create a culture of belief, optimism, and perseverance, and students will achieve excellence; and

WHEREAS, ELIZABETH FRILLES, a science teacher at Olomana School, is the 2015 Windward District Teacher of the Year by virtue of her efforts to transform her class into a safe haven for at-risk students who consistently earn science, engineering, and robotics awards; she incorporates project, cultural, and problem-based education to engage students in complex and relevant lessons; despite already serving as department head and in other leadership roles, she can often be seen coaching and mentoring student teachers and peers in her spare time; and

WHEREAS, DAVID HUITT, a history teacher at Kealakehe High School, is the 2015 Hawaii District Teacher of the Year; he has inspired his own students to pursue their dreams while teaching them humility through community service, which is a hallmark of David's curriculum; his students have raised approximately $50,000 for orphans in India, cooked over 6,000 meals for the needy, and collected hundreds of bags of trash from roads, parks, and beaches; his co-workers have praised his relationships with students, his creative lessons, his patience, and his true spirit of service; and
WHEREAS, RICHARD ARASE, a social studies teacher at Maui Waena Intermediate School, is the 2015 Maui District Teacher of the Year; selected for his proactive education method of turning students into classroom performers who take charge of their education, he believes his students can thrive with a safe learning environment and memorable experiences by transforming the curriculum into something exciting; and

WHEREAS, MARLY MADAYAG, a fifth grade teacher at Kalaheo Elementary School, is the 2015 Kauai District Teacher of the Year, a result of her organizational and creative skills which, combined with training in special education and the gifted and talented program, allow her to meet the needs of all learners; she encourages her students to hunt for information and to find answers to their own questions; she believes teaching is about fostering students' ability to think for themselves; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, that this body hereby commends, congratulates, and honors CATHERINE CAINE, JAMIE TAKAMURA, MASARU UCHINO, ELIZABETH FRILLES, DAVID HUITT, RICHARD ARASE, and MARLY MADAYAG for their outstanding accomplishments and much-deserved recognition, and extends to all of them its sincere mahalo and best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors.