Three Hawaii public school teachers were named today as finalists in a nationwide competition sponsored by Farmers Insurance and all three could win $100,000 each for their schools if they get enough support from the public.
Just 15 teachers across the United States made the finals in the Thank America’s Teachers Dream Big Teacher Challenge, which asks educators to propose projects to better prepare their students for the future. Farmers Insurance will award $100,000 educational grants to the five finalists who get the most votes online from the public.
Last year, a Hawaii teacher won a $100,000 grant from the insurance company, which may have encouraged others in the Aloha State to apply. Stevenson Middle School teacher Patricia Morgan got the grant to create an “Innovative Invention Imaginarium” at her school on the slopes of Punchbowl.
| DREAM BIG AND VOTE
To learn more about the top 15 teachers and cast your vote, visit farmers.com/thank-americas-teachers/ You can vote for as many candidates as you choose, once a day from today until Oct. 31.
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This year’s finalists from Hawaii are Ryan Chatfield of Aiea High School, Leimamo Lind-Strauss of Ho‘okena Elementary School and Zachary Morita of Niu Valley Middle School.
“I am delighted to recognize the amazing work of all three of these teachers,” said Melanie Joseph, marketing manager for Farmers Insurance Hawaii. “These teachers embody everything we celebrate on World Teacher’s Day, Oct. 5 and I urge the Hawaii community and the entire nation to vote to help make their big dreams a reality.”
Hundreds of teachers nationwide submitted proposals that were judged through a competitive process, with the best ones put to an online public vote that runs through October at ThankAmericasTeachers.com. Here are the Hawaii proposals:
>> Morita, a music teacher, is seeking a grant to create the Niu Valley Music Olympic Invitational. The community-wide event would bring students and professional musicians together in “collaborative competition,” with a goal of fostering passion for live music. The grant would also go toward new instruments and audiovisual equipment.
>> Lind-Strauss, who teaches third grade at Ho‘okena in Captain Cook on Hawaii island, wants to use the grant to install a telescope observatory on campus that would serve as a classroom for science, technology and the arts. Students would be able to study the skies and the community would gather there for family nights to enhance learning about science and culture.
>> Chatfield, a health science teacher at Aiea High, would use the grant to create a Health Science Student Development Center. An existing building would be transformed into a center where students could explore the health field with professionals and learn clinical skills. They would also hold workshops on health, both mental and physical, for community members.
“We are proud and excited to support our three teachers in the running for these highly sought-after grants to help enrich the learning environments at their schools and engage students,” said schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto.
“I encourage all of our HIDOE ohana — teachers, students, parents, staff — and everyone in our communities to vote and help make these grants a reality for Ryan, Leimamo, Zachary and their students,” she said. “Last year’s winner, Stevenson Middle science teacher Patricia Morgan, shows Hawaii has what it takes to win.”
