When there's a troubled child having difficulty with behavior or with learning, Hashimoto's the first one up to the plate to take that student into his classroom, said Erik Burkman, Kalaheo Elementary School principal. He even turned one student from a barely attending special-needs child to a student who now has a love of learning, Burkman said.

"He just doesn't do things out of the book," Burkman said. "He inspires all the students. He gets them to excel academically and socially.

"And he's a very humble man."

That's why Hashimoto, a teacher for 22 years, 15 of which have been as a third-grade instructor at Kalaheo Elementary on Kaua'i, was announced yesterday as one of two Hawai'i winners of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

Yesterday, Hashimoto had no idea that he was the reason for superintendent Pat Hamamoto's appearance. Nor did he realize that he was the reason for the schoolwide assembly. But that's the way the foundation wants the awards to be given. Each fall, recipients are taken by surprise.

In fact, he thought that it was his sister, a teacher at the school, who was getting an award because he heard that his parents were invited to the assembly.

"I don't know why they chose me," Hashimoto said yesterday. "Personally, I don't think I deserve it. There are a lot of wonderful teachers here at this school. We have the perfect staff and principal."

Kiana Rodriguez, a fourth-grader, said that Hashimoto is one of those teachers who makes you laugh and makes you think.

"He's fun. He jokes a lot," 9-year-old Kiana said. "He's really nice and gives us Gummi Worms."

When the students are good or when their homework is done or they are quiet in class, they get rewards, Rodriguez said.

Hashimoto has been asked before if he wouldn't mind being nominated for other awards, but he's refused, Burkman said. The Milken award, done without the nominee's knowledge, is one he could not refuse, he said.

"We would like Mr. Hashimoto to pursue educational administration and has been asked a number of times," wrote Diane Nitta, former Kalaheo Elementary School principal and now personnel regional officer for the state Department of Education. "He has always maintained that his love is the classroom."

The award seeks to attract, develop, motivate and retain talented people to the challenge and adventure of teaching, said Maggie Bava, Milken media and public affairs associate. The honor carries a $25,000 cash prize, which will be presented at the Milken National Education Conference next year in Washington, D.C.

Hashimoto said that he plans to use some of his cash prize to give to his fellow teachers and the rest he wants to bank for his son's college tuition. His son, a fourth-grader, attends Kalaheo Elementary, and his wife is a teacher there.