WHEREAS, the people of the State of Hawaii take great 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 for the children of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards program strives to attract, develop, motivate, and retain talented people to the challenge and adventure of teaching and provides public recognition and financial rewards to elementary and secondary schoolteachers, principals, and other education professionals who are furthering excellence in education by honoring outstanding educators; and

WHEREAS, BEBI DAVIS of Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School and CARL MATSUMOTO of Waipahu High School have been honored with the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award; and

WHEREAS, as the science teacher at Farrington High School, BEBI DAVIS energizes and inspires students with a kind spirit and low-key approach that motivates students and builds up their confidence, which has led to an increased school participation in the State Science & Engineering Fair; and

WHEREAS, besides serving as a mentor to student teachers, BEBI DAVIS also gives of herself by serving on professional committees at both Farrington High School and the University of Hawaii, and teaches summer school in the community college system; and

WHEREAS, CARL MATSUMOTO of Waipahu High School, together with his colleagues, offers rigorous project-based learning opportunities to students as chair of the science department and team leader of the freshman "house" small learning community, and openly shares his vision, ability to form partnerships, knowledge of educational best practices, abundant energy, and commanding style to make learning an exciting challenge; and

WHEREAS, CARL MATSUMOTO has established himself as a leader in curriculum development and has earned his students' attention, respect, and trust; and

WHEREAS, BEBI DAVIS and CARL MATSUMOTO have displayed initiative, creativity, and productivity, by maintaining a high standard of teaching excellence and establishing a learning environment that creates and emphasizes learning among students; and

WHEREAS, it is for this commitment, creativity, productivity, initiative, and love of educating Hawaii's youth that BEBI DAVIS and CARL MATSUMOTO have been honored as Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award winners; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that this body hereby recognizes BEBI DAVIS and CARL MATSUMOTO as the 2005 recipients of the distinguished Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and for their exemplary enterprise, successes, and outstanding accomplishments and contributions to public education in Hawaii, and extends to them its sincerest mahalo for a job well done and best wishes for success in all future endeavors.

Report Title:

Bebi Davis And Carl Matsumoto As The 2005 Recipients Of The Distinguised Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.