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WHEREAS, ESTHER KWON recently received the 2023 Milken Educator Award; and

WHEREAS, throughout her childhood, ESTHER KWON attended ten schools in three countries; she went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts in elementary education from Johns Hopkins University before moving to Hawai‘i in 2012 as a Teach for America Corps member; and

WHEREAS, ESTHER KWON is the Assistant Principal at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School, where she has dedicated ten years to the Wahiawa community as a teacher and tutor; she has served on the School Community Council as a Student Council Advisor and as a leader of the Pineapple Academy's distance learning program, which oversees 12 elementary schools in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area; and

WHEREAS, an innovative leader, passionate educator, and Hawai‘i State Teacher Fellow, ESTHER KWON has been committed to the professional mentorship and development of fellow teachers and the success of their students; and

WHEREAS, ESTHER KWON understands firsthand the importance of student belonging and social-emotional well-being, as Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School serves a student population almost entirely composed of military dependents; she is dedicated to helping students overcome challenges associated with family relocations due to military service and has proven herself to be a valued asset to the Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School community; and

WHEREAS, HIPPOLYTE ASSI was recently named the Hilo-Waiākea Complex finalist for the 2022 Teacher of Promise Award from the Milken Educators of Hawai‘i; and

WHEREAS, HIPPOLYTE ASSI holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and an extensive background in the healthcare industry; and

WHEREAS, prior to his noble pursuit of becoming a health services teacher at Hilo High School, HIPPOLYTE ASSI worked at Streetwater Health Education, a post-secondary vocational school for nursing and pharmacy technician students; and

WHEREAS, with his knowledge and expertise, HIPPOLYTE ASSI has enriched his students' educational experience with hands-on career and technical education training in the field of health services, particularly nursing and clinical care; and

WHEREAS, HIPPOLYTE ASSI's remarkable example of teamwork, applying the same principles of collaboration and communication within the walls of a hospital to those in a classroom, has had a profound impact on his pupils; and

WHEREAS, distinguished by his extraordinary career and well-deserved merits, HIPPOLYTE ASSI is held in high regard by his school community as an exceptional asset; and

WHEREAS, ANNIE HENBEST was recently named the Ka‘u-Kea‘au-Pāhoa Complex finalist for the 2022 Teacher of Promise Award from the Milken Educators of Hawai‘i; and

WHEREAS, ANNIE HENBEST completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science and Elementary Education degree from Idaho State University before continuing her studies at Grand Canyon University and Western Governors University, where she graduated with a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction as well as a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration; and

WHEREAS, ANNIE HENBEST has proudly served young learners as an educator for ten years, initially as a teacher leader and teacher in Idaho and later in 2019, as a literacy and technology coach in the State of Hawai‘i at Pāhoa High and Intermediate School; and

WHEREAS, ANNIE HENBEST uses her role as Vice Principal of Pāhoa High and Intermediate School to provide valuable resources to teachers and support their mission to successfully engage with a variety of learning styles; and

WHEREAS, ANNIE HENBEST treasures fostering meaningful relationships with students and colleagues, which is reflected in her dedicated efforts to empower her community by encouraging her pupils and fellow educators to be the best versions of themselves; and

WHEREAS, JESSICA LOBO ATNIP was recently named the ‘Aiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex finalist for the 2022 Teacher of Promise Award from the Milken Educators of Hawai‘i; and

WHEREAS, JESSICA LOBO ATNIP has served ‘Aiea Intermediate School for three years, starting as an English teacher for grades 7 and 8 and is currently the grade 8 English Language/English Language Arts teacher and coordinator as a part of ‘Aiea's newly established English Language department; and

WHEREAS, JESSICA LOBO ATNIP received a Masters of Education degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Chaminade University of Honolulu; and

WHEREAS, over the course of her career, JESSICA LOBO ATNIP has worked with outstanding educators and forged profound connections with her colleagues and students; she values the incredible progress made by her English Language students who have made extensive efforts on their English Language Proficiency assessments, an accomplishment noted by numerous Representatives; and

WHEREAS, with a passion for guiding young minds, JESSICA LOBO ATNIP takes great pride in offering unconditional support to her students and is an exceptionally valuable member of her community; and

WHEREAS, KISA MATLIN was recently named the Pearl City-Waipahu Complex finalist for the 2022 Teacher of Promise Award from the Milken Educators of Hawai‘i; and

WHEREAS, an alumna of Punahou School, KISA MATLIN earned her B.S. in environmental science at the University of Notre Dame and M.Ed with a concentration in STEM education at Southern Methodist University; and

WHEREAS, KISA MATLIN served two years with the Teach for America Dallas-Fort Worth Corps and a term with Kupu's Environmental Education Leadership Program, where she partnered with Department of Education schools to implement ‘āina-based curriculum; and

WHEREAS, KISA MATLIN is in her third year of teaching at Waipahu High School, where she works with the Academy of Natural Resources as a Science and CTE educator; she also serves as a co-advisor of the Academy of Natural Resources Ambassadors Program and Waipahu High School Chapter of Future Farmers of America; and

WHEREAS, the impact of KISA MATLIN's work is a testament to her role model and grandmother, Lillian Shigeko Hatate, who was a Hawai‘i Department of Education educator for 30 years, and KISA MATLIN strives to pay the gift of education and knowledge forward; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawai‘i, Regular Session of 2023, that this body hereby congratulates ESTHER KWON for receiving the 2023 Milken Educator Award and HIPPOLYTE ASSI, ANNIE HENBEST, JESSICA LOBO ATNIP, and KISA MATLIN for being named the 2022 Teacher of Promise Award finalists for the Hilo-Waiākea, Ka‘u-Kea‘au-Pāhoa, ‘Aiea-Moanalua-Radford, and Pearl City-Waipahu Complexes, commends their outstanding accomplishments and community involvement, and extends to them its warmest aloha and best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

2023 Milken Educator Awardee; 2022 Teacher of Promise Award finalists for the Hilo-Waiākea, Ka‘u-Kea‘au-Pāhoa, ‘Aiea-Moanalua-Radford, and Pearl City-Waipahu Complexes

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	218
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII