ALA WAI ELEMENTARY'S SARA KING WINS MILKEN AWARD
The Title I coordinator has become the latest recipient of the coveted Milken Educator Award. Regarded as the "Oscar Award of Teaching," it honors outstanding excellence in education and comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. LEARN MORE  

WAI'ANAE HIGH COUNSELOR DESOTO NAMED NATIONAL FINALIST
Desiré DeSoto, the 2018 Hawaii School Counselor of the Year, was recognized as a 2019 national finalist for addressing students' academic and social/emotional development and college and career readiness needs. LEARN MORE  

HAWAI'I'S FAFSA DATA DASHBOARD LAUNCHES
A new online tool tracks completion rates for FAFSA submittals at high schools statewide and illustrates schools’ progress toward having more students complete college financial aid applications. LEARN MORE  

GROWING PEACE AMBASSADORS AT MANOA ELEMENTARY
Chelsey Villamin started exposing students to literature and books that encouraged the young students to reflect on times when they experienced peace. Each year her students help guide what form the Peace Project will take on. LEARN MORE  

NA ALI'I: PRINCESS RUTH AND CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
A new video series produced by the Communications Branch aims to highlight the ali'i whose names grace many of our school campuses. Watch this first profile about the impact on education in Hawai'i of Princess Ruth Ke'elikolani. WATCH  

KAUA'I EDUCATORS TEAM UP TO ADVANCE STUDENT VOICE
A team of Garden Isle educators are gearing up to collect student voice on how the Hawai‘i DOE informs Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) across its schools. The data gathering effort will launch March 1. LEARN MORE  

'WAITING FOR YOU' BY WAHIAWA 8TH GRADER NETS TOP AWARD
Emma Park of Wahiawa Middle School has been named an American Visions nominee in the Hawaii Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Her photograph and two other works will be considered for national recognition. LEARN MORE  

ROOSEVELT STUDENT ATHLETE TO COMPETE ON GLOBAL STAGE
Roosevelt High junior Tyler Morimoto has been selected to represent Hawai‘i on Team USA in Track & Field at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi. "I was a little bit in shock," he said. WATCH  

STUDENT VOICE AT THE CAPITOL
Students have had a noticeable presence at the Capitol since opening day, learning from state leaders and participating in this important democratic process; we must continue to foster their desire to have their voices heard. LEARN MORE  

SPONSORS SOUGHT FOR SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is seeking sponsor organizations on all islands to help provide children in low-income communities with reduced-price meals during the summer months. LEARN MORE  

MOVING TOWARD A 10-YEAR ACTION PLAN
Focusing our priorities for the next decade focused on three key questions: 1) What is student success? 2) How do we measure what we really value? 3) How do we support each child to experience success? LEARN MORE