Hawaii DOE | Waiakea High School’s Whitney Aragaki named 2022 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year

The Hawaiʻi State Division of Education and learning (HIDOE) nowadays named Waiākea High University instructor Whitney Aragaki the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Instructor of the Yr. Aragaki acquired the state’s major training award from Gov. David Ige and Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi all through a digital awards ceremony this afternoon.

Aragaki will symbolize Hawaiʻi in the National Trainer of the Yr plan. The honor is introduced per year to a classroom trainer chosen from extra than 13,000 HIDOE educators. Aragaki was between 15 Advanced Location Teachers of the Yr and the Constitution College Teacher of the Calendar year acknowledged nowadays.

“Whitney’s revolutionary tactic to instructing delivers learners meaningful cultural and place-dependent mastering opportunities that are each demanding and pertinent to our young learners,” Interim Superintendent Hayashi mentioned. “Science can be an scary subject for pupils, but Whitney effectively engages her learners in remarkable and empowering strategies.

Aragaki has been instructing at Waiākea High for 10 years and presently serves as a 10th-quality biology and State-of-the-art Placement (AP) Environmental Science trainer. Her classroom activities are regarded to put students in contact with their local communities and are intended around mastering by means of challenge fixing. Further than science, Aragaki’s educational pursuits give learners possibilities to elevate their leadership and civic responsibility in just the group.

In 2018 the Section awarded Aragaki an innovation grant to help her proposal for Science Buddies, a system the place AP science pupils could make an impression on the next technology of science learners in their have neighborhood by making criteria-dependent classes for elementary classrooms. What resulted from the plan were being hands-on, domestically based, and academically rigorous things to do for above 250 pupils in grades 3-5.

When challenging, Aragaki’s approaches of instructing have invited students to take a look at the earth of science. “Mrs. Aragaki perseveres on a every day foundation to deliver her pupils with the good encounter, awareness and ecosystem they require to open up up to getting ready to engage in STEM,” Waiākea Higher alumna Lela DeVine shared. “The honesty and transparency throughout the classroom that enables her college students to experience safe and sound and inclusive is what sets Mrs. Aragaki aside from any trainer I have at any time experienced.”

Also an alumna of Waiākea Substantial, Aragaki has worked to additional improve her school local community via the generation of the peer-to-peer Warrior Skilled Understanding Local community (PLC). Soon after noticing a significant turnover of teachers at her faculty, Aragaki initiated this trainer induction and mentoring group for these the two new to the school and new to the job to assist foster a increased perception of college culture and belonging. Via the New Warrior PLC, new teachers acquire schooling on vocation academies, how to help upcoming initially-generation higher education learners, classroom engineering integration, and other expert improvement sessions by school-based mostly trainer leaders.

“Mrs. Aragaki’s dedication to excellence goes considerably beyond her instructing and the four corners of her classroom,” Waiākea Substantial Principal Kelcy Koga explained. “She sees the gains that a audio schooling can supply, and is inclined to go over and over and above the phone of responsibility to not only provide her learners but her colleagues and university neighborhood as effectively.”

In addition to her classroom teacher purpose, Aragaki has taught AP Environmental Science, AP Data and AP Computer system Science Ideas for the statewide Hawaiʻi Digital Finding out Network’s E-School considering that 2013. She is the lead instructor of the Waiākea Significant Public Expert services Academy, which was recognized as a Countrywide Product Academy beneath the Countrywide Occupation Academy Coalition in 2018. A National Board Licensed Teacher, Aragaki was also a 2019 and 2021 point out finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Instructing (PAEMST). 

The full record of finalists honored right now are, in alphabetical buy:

• ʻĀina Akamu, Ka‘ū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complicated Spot, Kaʻū Significant & Pāhala Elementary.
• Wesley Capdepon, Honoka‘a-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complicated Spot, Honokaʻa Elementary.
• Cara Chaudron, Public Constitution Universities, SEEQS: The School for Analyzing Important Concerns of Sustainability.
• Trisha Gibson, ‘Aiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Space, ‘Aiea Elementary.
• Wendy Gumm, Nānākuli-Waiʻanae Complicated Location, Nānāikapono Elementary.
• Ashley Ito-Macion, Pearl City-Waipahu Elaborate Region, Kanoelani Elementary.
• Corrie Izumoto, Kaimukī-McKinley-Roosevelt Sophisticated Spot, Kawānanakoa Middle.
• Jim Kunimitsu, Campbell-Kapolei Advanced Space, Pōhākea Elementary.
• Richard Lau, Kailua-Kalāheo Intricate Area, Kalāheo Substantial.
• Theresa Malone, Kapaʻa-Kauaʻi-Waimea Elaborate Area, Kalāheo Elementary.
• Jeni Miyahira, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complicated Space, Mililani Substantial.
• Miyuki Sekimitsu, Castle-Kahuku Complex Place, Kāne‘ohe Elementary.
• Wendy Shigeta, Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Sophisticated Area, Haha‘ione Elementary.
• Monthly bill Tatro, Hāna-Lahainaluna-Lānaʻi-Molokaʻi Sophisticated Space, Lahainaluna Substantial.
• Lisa Yamada, Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Elaborate Region, Wailuku Elementary.

Present-day digital ceremony provided:

• Honorariums to each finalist by Hawaiian Electric Co. 
• A one particular-year lease of a 2022 Subaru Impreza courtesy of Subaru Hawaii to the winner.