Janice Espiritu, principal of Kaunakakai Elementary on Moloka'i, was presented the 2009 Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award last night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Espiritu was honored at the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation banquet at the hotel. Island Insurance Foundation presented Espiritu with a $10,000 cash award and a $15,000 award for a school project of her choice.

Espiritu plans to use the award to implement a green initiative by partnering Kaunakakai Elementary with community members and organizations such as Maui Electric Co. She hopes to power part of the school with electricity created with solar power and create an eco-friendly alternative energy project that would serve as a teaching tool for students.

Espiritu was one of 12 public school principals nominated for the award.

The sixth annual award is named after the late Masayuki Tokioka, founder of Island Insurance Co. Ltd.

Also honored last night were semifinalists Nelson Shigeta of Makaha Elementary School and Elynne Chung of Pearl Harbor Kai School, who each received a $2,000 cash award.

Each of the nominees were presented a $1,000 award.

In addition to the principals, the foundation honored the following:

• Corporate honoree — KTA Super Stores.

• Individual honorees: Sam Choy, Charles Higa and Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano.

• Tom Adams Award — Betty Brask, Pukalani Elementary; Dawn Kodama-Nii, Wilson Elementary; and Marlene Stark, Kapolei High.

• Francis Hatanaka Award — Gifted/talented Program Team, Ma'ema'e Elementary.