HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

204

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

congratulating matthew lawrence as the 2014 hawaii state teacher of the year, teresa cramer as the 2014 central oahu district teacher of the year, terra wight as the 2014 leeward OAHU district teacher of the year, dayna hironaka as the 2014 windward OAHU district teacher of the year, elizabeth timbal as the 2014 hawaii district teacher of the year, anthony williams as the 2014 maui district teacher of the year, and justin yamagata as the 2014 kauai district teacher of the year.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, the people of the State of Hawaii take 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 in Hawaii; and

 

WHEREAS, a math and science teacher at Waikiki Elementary School since 2001, MATTHEW LAWRENCE is a National Board Certified Teacher who earned a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with Middle School Endorsement from Illinois State University and a master's degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa; and

 

WHEREAS, while relevancy and project-based learning are features of MATTHEW LAWRENCE's teaching style, he also integrates the Philosophy for Children concept to mold his classroom into a community of thinkers; and

 

WHEREAS, MATTHEW LAWRENCE served as the School Community Council chair from 2006 to 2011, and is also a mentor teacher with the University of Hawaii undergraduate teaching program; and

 

WHEREAS, in 2007, MATTHEW LAWRENCE launched a science fair to provide students with a venue to share their experiments and creations with their peers and family members; and

 

WHEREAS, in recognition of his creative teaching methods, the genuine care he shows for his students, and his unwavering commitment to self-improvement, MATTHEW LAWRENCE was selected from over 11,000 educators in the State as the 2014 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year; and

 

     WHEREAS, after spending ten years as a social worker helping high-risk children in shelters and outreach programs, TERESA CRAMER changed careers and became a teacher; and

 

     WHEREAS, now serving as a fifth grade special education teacher, TERESA CRAMER piloted Hale Kula Elementary School's first co-teaching inclusion class; she also spearheaded the creation of a Hope Garden, an outdoor classroom that engages students in hands-on learning and valuable sustainability lessons; and

 

     WHEREAS, in recognition of her professionalism and dedication to motivating her students to do their best, TERESA CRAMER has been named the 2014 Central Oahu District Teacher of the Year; and

 

     WHEREAS, TERRA WIGHT has demonstrated a tireless commitment to enriching the lives of her students at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School by instilling in them an appreciation for the application of science; and

 

WHEREAS, TERRA WIGHT gives lessons that combine scientific facts with relevancy, thereby allowing her students to experience and understand science in the world around them; she also helped initiate an ecology club through which students and community members partner together to restore native plants to Piliokahe Beach Park; and

 

     WHEREAS, in recognition of her leadership, commitment, and outstanding contributions to Nanakuli High and Intermediate School, TERRA WIGHT has been selected as the 2014 Leeward Oahu District Teacher of the Year; and

     WHEREAS, a teacher at Kahaluu Elementary School, DAYNA HIRONAKA strives to turn her students' natural curiosity into a lifelong love of learning, and she measures her success by her students' accomplishments and academic progress; and

 

     WHEREAS, DAYNA HIRONAKA's dedication to teaching extends beyond the regular school day and the confines of the school campus; after the bell rings, Dayna can be seen tutoring students, meeting with parents, and collaborating with her peers; she also mentors student teachers at Hawaii Pacific University, believing that "the stronger the teachers, the more successful students will be"; and

 

     WHEREAS, in recognition of her strong commitment to infusing her students with the joy of learning, DAYNA HIRONAKA has been named the 2014 Windward Oahu District Teacher of the Year; and

 

     WHEREAS, due to her classroom management and genuine care for her students, ELIZABETH TIMBAL has served as a model educator for Keaau High School's 10th grade English students and strives to ensure that her students receive an education that will enrich their lives and allow them to contribute to their communities; and

 

WHEREAS, at Keaau High School, ELIZABETH TIMBAL helped spearhead the implementation of the Advancement Via Individual Determination program, joined its new teacher induction program, and developed an Extended Learning Opportunity program; and

 

     WHEREAS, always striving to improve her craft, ELIZABETH TIMBAL also completed an English Language Learner course to better understand her students' needs; and

 

     WHEREAS, in recognition of her dedication to enriching her students' lives and helping them discover talents they never knew they had, ELIZABETH TIMBAL has been selected as the 2014 Hawaii District Teacher of the Year; and

     WHEREAS, ANTHONY WILLIAMS earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and is a valued mentor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Hawaiian Immersion Teacher Development Program; and

 

     WHEREAS, at Paia Elementary, ANTHONY WILLIAMS teaches fourth grade Hawaiian immersion and started a hula halau to address the needs of his students; to engage the parents of his students at Paia Elementary, he takes the time to offer Hawaiian language classes at night, three times a week; and

 

     WHEREAS, ANTHONY WILLIAMS has shown remarkable commitment, dedication, and devotion to his students by encouraging them to strive to do their best every day in his classroom at Paia Elementary School; and

 

     WHEREAS, in recognition of his leadership, commitment, and numerous contributions to his community, ANTHONY WILLIAMS has been selected as the 2014 Maui District Teacher of the Year; and

 

     WHEREAS, a teacher at Waimea Canyon Middle School, JUSTIN YAMAGATA has been instrumental in building Waimea Canyon's science curriculum as department head and a member of the school's leadership team; and

 

     WHEREAS, when JUSTIN YAMAGATA first joined Waimea Canyon Middle School eight years ago, he was surprised to learn that students were not competing in the science fair; today, thanks to his perseverance, up to 100 student experiments are displayed in science events each year, with many qualifying for state and even international tournaments; and

 

     WHEREAS, students praise JUSTIN YAMAGATA's encouragement and individualized guidance; as one of his former students noted: "Without his support, many of his students such as myself would not have had the opportunity to discover our own passions"; and

 

     WHEREAS, in acknowledgement of his leadership, vision, and dedication to his community, JUSTIN YAMAGATA has been named the 2014 Kauai District Teacher of the Year; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, that this body hereby commends, congratulates, and honors MATTHEW LAWRENCE, TERESA CRAMER, TERRA WIGHT, DAYNA HIRONAKA, ELIZABETH TIMBAL, ANTHONY WILLIAMS, and JUSTIN YAMAGATA for their outstanding accomplishments in the field of education, expresses to them its heartfelt appreciation for their dedication to educating our keiki, and extends to them its warmest aloha and best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Congratulating Matthew Lawrence as the 2014 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year and honoring Teresa Cramer, Terra Wight, Dayna Hironaka, Elizabeth Timbal, Anthony Williams, and Justin Yamagata as the 2014 State District Teachers of the Year.