State's top teachers to be honored tomorrow

Advertiser Staff

The state school board and Department of Education will honor the 2002 District Teachers of the Year tomorrow during a luncheon at the Hale Koa Hotel.

The district winners are:

• Kaua'i District — Leah Aiwohi of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. Aiwohi, a sixth-grade computer/technology teacher, has 11 years of teaching experience.

• Windward District — Lani Chang of Waiahole Elementary. Chang has been a teacher for 10 years.

• Honolulu District — Aileen Dang of Kalakaua Middle. Dang is an eighth-grade ceramics, drawing and painting teacher with 27 years of experience.

• Central District — Jill Hirota of Waialua Elementary. Hirota teaches second-graders and has 12 years of experience.

• Hawai'i District — Helen Kobayashi of Waiakea High. Kobayashi, a teacher for 30 years, teaches social studies/anthropology in grades 9 through 12.

• Maui District — Janet Sato of Baldwin High. Sato, who teaches visual arts in grades 9 through 12, has 22 years of experience.

• Leeward District — Linda Uehara of Kapolei Middle. Uehara is a sixth-grade language arts teacher with 33 years of experience.

Each district winner will receive $500 from the program sponsor, Polynesian Cultural Center, and be eligible for State Teacher of the Year honors. The top teacher statewide will be named at the Board of Education meeting Oct. 18.