The finalists received $500 each from the Polynesian Cultural Center and yearlong use of individual cars provided by Volkswagen Dealers of Hawai'i, Servco's Toyota and Suzuki distributorships and their Hawai'i Toyota and Suzuki dealers, Hawai'i's Mazda dealers, Pflueger Honda, Cutter's Hawai'i Mitsubishi and the Hawai'i Automobile Dealers Association. They will also receive meals for a year from Ruby Tuesday restaurant and instructional software from the SMARTer Foundation.

Oato, who will drive a gray Jetta, received an additional $1,000.

"This is a joy, quite a joy," Oato said yesterday after the award was announced.

Her interest in teaching dates to childhood when she set up classrooms with her siblings and neighbors, complete with blackboards.

At Kailua High for her entire 38-year career, she has outworked all her friends. Her younger sister retired from Ka'ahumanu Elementary School in June.

"When I wake up every morning, I think of all the kids. I just have fun with them. I enjoy being in the classroom," Oato said. "I have bad moments, we all do ... , but I enjoy being with them."

Honda, the Kailua principal, said, "We're really glad she was selected. Now she can't retire."

Kailua High math teacher Winona Oato accepts congratulations on being named the state Department of Education's teacher of the year. Oato's selection from among district finalists was announced at a Board of Education meeting yesterday. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Oato said she believes in reaching the whole student and considers each student's socioeconomic background, social group and academic strengths.

She said she tries to help students see the relevance of what they are studying. She also motivates students by talking about higher education and skills that provide a foundation for further learning.

"She really has a strong bond with her students, even though she's strict. She has very high standards and the children really have to work hard. They know she really cares about them," Honda said.

Oato said she yells at her students but tells them that it's only because she cares. She tells them, "The louder I yell, the more I love you."

Calculus student Mika Sawada said Oato "has high expectations for her all her students, but she never makes you feel less (capable) for not understanding."

While Sawada talked about how Oato encourages students to figure things out on their own, classmate Joshua Tolentino noted that students can always go to Oato for help and that her explanations are very thorough. "She doesn't just teach you the concepts. She teaches you the reasoning behind the concepts," Tolentino said.

In her recommendation of Oato, former Kailua principal Mary Murakami commended her energy and ability to keep students of all skill levels motivated.

Fellow math teacher Angela Kung said, "It is often faster to ask Winona than to research the answer to something."

Roland Tamaru, an engineering and architectural instructor, said in his recommendation that Oato has not only shown great success with her advanced-placement calculus students but also helped the "hard-core and high-risk students" in the Pre-Industrial Preparation and Building and Construction Academy math. As a result, "many of them have gone on to the community college and are currently employed in the automotive and construction trades," he said.