CONGRATULATING THE 2026 FARRINGTON-KAISER-KALANI COMPLEX AREA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, THE 2026 KAPAʻA-KAUAʻI-WAIMEA COMPLEX AREA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, THE 2026 PEARL CITY-WAIPAHU COMPLEX AREA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, A 2025 BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL, AND TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAIʻI.

HR203

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

203

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

CONGRATULATING THE 2026 FARRINGTON-KAISER-KALANI COMPLEX
AREA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, the 2026 KAPA
ʻ
A-KAUA
ʻ
I-WAIMEA COMPLEX AREA
TEACHER OF THE YEAR, the 2026 PEARL CITY-WAIPAHU COMPLEX AREA TEACHER OF THE
YEAR, a 2025 BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL, AND TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I
.

����
WHEREAS,
JESSICA CANYON was recently named the 2026 Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Complex
Area Teacher of the Year; and

����
WHEREAS, a
University of Hawai
ʻ
i
at Mānoa College of Education graduate with a bachelor's degree in
elementary education, JESSICA CANYON has served with distinction as a
fifth-grade teacher at Mayor Joseph J. Fern Elementary School; and

����
WHEREAS, a
dynamic educator with a proven track record at Mayor Joseph J. Fern Elementary
School, JESSICA CANYON excels in classroom management and developing strong
relationships; adept at differentiating instruction to meet diverse learning
needs, she consistently enhances student engagement and performance through
innovative lesson planning and effective parent-teacher communication; and

����
WHEREAS,
believing that every student has enormous promise, JESSICA CANYON does her best
to help her students fulfill their potential, creating safe, supportive, and
inclusive environments that incorporate social-emotional learning; and

����
WHEREAS, in
addition to planning and facilitating the school's May Day activities, JESSICA
CANYON has served as grade-level chair and mentored the next generation of
teachers to help the school maintain its vibrant culture and cherished
traditions; she has also led efforts to inspire students to begin thinking
about future careers, demonstrating her dedication to helping students flourish
once they graduate from elementary school; and

����
WHEREAS,
JESSICA CANYON has been recognized for her exemplary efforts and
accomplishments, which serve as a testament to her vision to empower her
students and enable them to succeed inside and outside the classroom; and

����
WHEREAS,
NATSUMI YAMASATO was recently named the 2026 Kapa
ʻ
a-Kaua
ʻ
i-Waimea Complex Area
Teacher of the Year; and

����
WHEREAS, a
former architect and building engineer in Japan, NATSUMI YAMASATO believes that
STEM education should include learning experiences relevant and meaningful to
the lives of students and draws on her previous career to provide hands-on
lessons with real-world applications; and

����
WHEREAS,
renowned for her passion and ability to inspire her students to achieve
greatness, NATSUMI YAMASATO advises student media productions that have been
featured on national platforms like PBS NewsHour and has helped students earn
the highest honors in state and national media and STEM competitions; and

����
WHEREAS,
NATSUMI YAMASATO also leads Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary School's STEM and
innovation programs, coaches the science olympiad team, and is the driving
force behind the most anticipated night on campus - STEM Night, an event that
features twenty activity stations and attracts over one thousand attendees; and

����
WHEREAS,
NATSUMI YAMASATO incorporates sustainability concepts and practices into her
STEM curriculum, participating in innovative collaborations, such as Grove
Farm's educational modules, that allow her students to trade in classrooms and
textbooks for hands-on learning experiences involving algae innovations, water
treatment plants, caves, farms, and solar power facilities; and

����
WHEREAS, JODI
KADOYAMA was recently named the 2026 Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area Teacher of
the Year; and

����
WHEREAS,
consistently going above and beyond to support students and mentor fellow
teachers, JODI KADOYAMA has provided nearly fifteen years of dedicated
leadership and service to Mānana Elementary School, taking on various
roles, including teaching kindergarten and fourth grade and serving as
curriculum coordinator; and

����
WHEREAS, JODI
KADOYAMA collaborates with faculty, staff, and the entire school community to
create a culture that promotes integrity, respect for others, and a safe,
supportive, and inclusive environment for learning; she exemplifies the impact
that motivated educators can have in preparing students to become globally
competitive as well as locally committed; and

����
WHEREAS, a
renowned educator, JODI KADOYAMA has developed and administered assessments to
monitor student progress and collaborates with other teachers to analyze
student data to identify areas of growth and areas that may require
intervention; as a mentor to new teachers, she provides coaching and support
and advocates for professional development and instructional materials to
ensure continuous improvement in teaching practices; and

����
WHEREAS,
always humble, JODI KADOYAMA credits her fellow educators for helping reinforce
her passion for teaching and renewing her drive to improve in all aspects of
the profession; she is respected and loved by the Mānana Elementary School

ʻ
ohana, including
the thousands of students, parents, faculty, staff, and school supporters whose
lives she has touched over the years; and

����
WHEREAS,
MĀNANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL was recently named a 2025 National Blue Ribbon
School; and

����
WHEREAS, as a
2025 National Blue Ribbon School, MĀNANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has been
recognized for meeting the performance award criteria for Exemplary
High-Performing Schools; students at the school have demonstrated exceptional
proficiency, exceeding statewide averages by twenty-four percentage points in
English language arts, thirty-nine percentage points in math, and thirty-six
percentage points in science; and

����
WHEREAS,
under the leadership of recently retired Principal Bryan Loo, MĀNANA
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has provided a high-quality, standards-based education that
prepares students to thrive as responsible global citizens; and

����
WHEREAS,
MĀNANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL emphasizes project-based learning, where students
tackle real-world challenges that inspire creativity, critical thinking, and
collaboration, in addition to personalized learning and data-driven instruction
to help every student reach their full potential; and

����
WHEREAS,
MĀNANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL also promotes learning outside the classroom,
with students having access to a wide variety of enriching extracurricular
activities, including sports, student government, robotics, math olympiad, and
book club; and

����
WHEREAS,
TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I
has provided twenty years of exemplary service and dedication to Hawai
ʻ
i's youth; and

����
WHEREAS,
founded in 2006, TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I
has partnered with schools and communities across the State, cultivating and
supporting a diverse network of locally rooted leaders who expand opportunities
for keiki in the education system; and

����
WHEREAS,
TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I's
network of extraordinary leaders, consisting of educators, principals, district
leaders, nonprofit directors, and advocates, shapes policy, teaches in
classrooms, transforms schools, and builds organizations that strengthen our
communities; and

����
WHEREAS,
TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I
prioritizes expanding access to high-quality education for keiki, improving
literacy outcomes, and developing leaders to ensure all children can fulfill
their potential; and

����
WHEREAS,
TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I
has made meaningful, sustainable change across the State, impacting over fifty
thousand students, primarily in high-need communities; now, therefore,

����
BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the
State of Hawai
ʻ
i,
Regular Session of 2026, that this body hereby congratulates JESSICA CANYON for
being named the 2026 Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Complex Area Teacher of the Year,
NATSUMI YAMASATO for being named the 2026 Kapa
ʻ
a-Kaua
ʻ
i-Waimea Complex Area
Teacher of the Year, JODI KADOYAMA for being named the 2026 Pearl City-Waipahu
Complex Area Teacher of the Year, MĀNANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL for being named
a 2025 National Blue Ribbon School, and TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI
ʻ
I for providing twenty
years of exemplary service and dedication to Hawai
ʻ
i's youth and extends to them its warmest
aloha and best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
�

2026 Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani
Complex Area Teacher of the Year; 2026 Kapaa-Kauai-Waimea Complex Area Teacher
of the Year; 2026 Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area Teacher of the Year; 2025 Blue
Ribbon School; Teach for America Hawaii