Off the News: A grand prize for music teacher — and music

What a stellar way for Hawaii to represent: For the second year in a row, a public school teacher here won a $100,000 grand prize in the Farmers Insurance Dream Big Teacher Challenge nationwide competition.

Niu Valley Middle teacher Zachary Morita will use the grant to create a Niu Valley Music Olympic Invitational, in which students statewide would compete, and to buy instruments for students in need. Kudos also go to Hawaii’s other two finalists this year: Ryan Chatfield of Aiea High School and Leimamo Lind-Strauss of Ho‘okena Elementary School.

Morita’s win will help students here achieve in music; last year’s winner, Stevenson Middle teacher Trish Morgan, created an Innovative Invention Imaginarium to inspire kids in science and tech.

OHA trustees show signs of comity — so far

After a year (or two, or three) of sometimes rancorous debate, it appears the newly elected board of trustees at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has responded to the “peace on Earth” spirit of the holiday season. Trustees voted unanimously to keep Colette Machado in her post chairing the board. The vote was unanimous, no less.

Perhaps this is a hopeful sign of comity among the OHA leaders. On the other hand: There are still many residual issues to clear up, such as on the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope project, in which an accord has eluded OHA. Will peace still get a chance?