Posted on: Sunday, April 7, 2002

Six teachers honored for early child care

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

Six Hawai'i teachers have been honored by the Good Beginnings Alliance for their work in early childhood care.

Cindy Johnson of Lihue, Kaua'i, was chosen Early Childhood Professional of the Year for the Alliance's Ho'olaulima No Na Keiki (Working Together for the Children) awards.

Five other teachers nominated by parents, grandparents and colleagues were chosen as members of the Circle of Honor: Sylvia Loveless, founder and teacher of Lokahi Montessori School; Karen Akiyama, special education teacher at Ala Wai Elementary School Preschool; Rheta Kuwahara, teacher at the University of Hawai'i's Manoa Children's Center; and Gina Medrano, a teacher at All Saints Preschool in Kapa'a, Kaua'i.

Atamante Edralin Jr., teacher and director of Seagull School in Kailua, is the first man to be chosen for the Circle of Honor for the Ho'olaulima No Na Keiki awards, given since 1998.

The educators were honored at a banquet Friday night at the Honolulu Country Club.

Johnson said she moved into the early childhood field in 1997 after a 20-year career in retail marketing to spend more time with her young children, now 6 and 5 years old. "It is the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my entire life," she said.

She helped found the Keiki O Kaua'i Family Child Care Association in 1998 and is the president. She also is the Kaua'i chapter president of the Hawai'i Association for the Education of Young Children and just completed her child development associate degree.

She runs the business out of her home and now with children between the ages of 7 months and 4 years. "When they first say my name, and call me auntie, it's really rewarding," Johnson said.

Kuwahara, an early childhood educator for 11 years, said she most enjoys figuring out which teaching techniques work best for each child.

"Every group of students you have is different, and it's never the same old thing," Kuwahara said. "All of the students have different learning styles."