Kalihi Uka teacher awarded $25K Milken educator prize
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Kalihi Uka Elementary School teacher Kristy Inamasu, center, was announced Tuesday as the winner of the Milken Educator Award and received a $25, 000 prize. Joining Inamasu on stage was 2005 winner Bebi Davis, left, and Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation.
1 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Kalihi Uka Elementary School teacher Kristy Inamasu, center, was announced Tuesday as the winner of the Milken Educator Award and received a $25, 000 prize. Joining Inamasu on stage was 2005 winner Bebi Davis, left, and Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Shown at Kalihi Uka Elementary School on Tuesday are Rochelle Mahoe, left, Keith Hayashi, Derek Santos, teacher Kristy Inamasu, Jane Foley, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and state Rep. Ikaika Hussey.
2 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Shown at Kalihi Uka Elementary School on Tuesday are Rochelle Mahoe, left, Keith Hayashi, Derek Santos, teacher Kristy Inamasu, Jane Foley, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and state Rep. Ikaika Hussey.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Kalihi Uka Elementary School teacher Kristy Inamasu, right, was announced Tuesday as the winner of the Milken Educator Award during a school assembly.
3 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Kalihi Uka Elementary School teacher Kristy Inamasu, right, was announced Tuesday as the winner of the Milken Educator Award during a school assembly.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation raised her hands Tuesday as she revealed with help from the crowd at Kalihi Uka Elementary School the amount of prize money that would be awarded to the winner of the Educator Award.
4 /4 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation raised her hands Tuesday as she revealed with help from the crowd at Kalihi Uka Elementary School the amount of prize money that would be awarded to the winner of the Educator Award.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Kalihi Uka Elementary School teacher Kristy Inamasu, center, was announced Tuesday as the winner of the Milken Educator Award and received a $25, 000 prize. Joining Inamasu on stage was 2005 winner Bebi Davis, left, and Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Shown at Kalihi Uka Elementary School on Tuesday are Rochelle Mahoe, left, Keith Hayashi, Derek Santos, teacher Kristy Inamasu, Jane Foley, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and state Rep. Ikaika Hussey.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Kalihi Uka Elementary School teacher Kristy Inamasu, right, was announced Tuesday as the winner of the Milken Educator Award during a school assembly.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation raised her hands Tuesday as she revealed with help from the crowd at Kalihi Uka Elementary School the amount of prize money that would be awarded to the winner of the Educator Award.
A kindergarten teacher at Kalihi Uka Elementary School was honored Tuesday as Hawaii's sole recipient of the 2025 Milken Educator Award.
Kristy Inamasu, a Maui High School graduate and former volleyball player at Chaminade University, was surprised with the recognition—often called the 'Oscar of Teaching '—during a morning assembly.
Along with the accolade, Inamasu received a $25, 000 unrestricted cash award and joined a national network of more than 3, 000 educators recognized over the nearly 40-year history of the Milken Educator Awards, the nation's leading teacher recognition program.
'Kristy Inamasu is nurturing and inspiring the minds of her young students and fellow educators across the Aloha State, ' said Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley, who is also a 1994 Indiana Milken Educator herself. 'Kristy's enthusiasm to make a daily, tangible impact in her classroom and school is commendable. Thank you, Kristy, for your exemplary dedication to the profession. The Milken Educator Network will benefit from your contributions and commitment to advancing teaching and learning.'
The Milken Family Foundation's 2024-2025 tour will recognize up to 45 educators across the nation, highlighting K-12 educators. Inamasu is the 83rd recipient in the state since Hawaii joined the Milken Educator Awards in 1990.
'When I heard my name, I couldn't believe it. Instant tears, ' Inamasu said. 'It's definitely something that I didn't expect. There are so many deserving teachers and educators here in Hawaii, especially here at Kalihi Uka. It's definitely something that I did not expect, but I'm so thankful for it.'
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Inamasu said recognizing educators through awards like the Milken Educator Award can encourage more teachers to enter the profession and continue making a difference for Hawaii's students.
She began teaching at Kalihi Uka about a decade ago and said she loves working with kindergarten students because 'every day is a new day.'
'The students in kindergarten just love to learn. I love feeling their curiosity and their love for learning, and just teaching them to be kind, responsible humans that will eventually grow and make a positive impact in our community, ' she said.
One of Inamasu's students, 6-year-old Akela, described her as her favorite teacher.
'She's kind and nice and smart and teaches me math, ' Akela said.
'I'm smart because she teaches me addition and subtraction.'
Akela added that she loves learning in Inamasu's classroom and wishes she could have her as a teacher 'forever.'
Inamasu told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that she has known since childhood that she wanted to be a teacher. As a shy student, she had a positive experience with her teachers, which inspired her career path.
As an educator, she aims to help all students reach their highest potential, even exceeding it, while providing them with opportunities to take risks and develop a love for learning.
Inamasu said her priority is to create a safe and nurturing environment for her students.
'The most important aspect of our job is to create a stable foundation, ' she said. 'We are with our students for six-plus hours a day. They see us just as much as they do their families sometimes. So creating those positive relationships with students is most important to me.'
Clyde Sabas, Inamasu's colleague, described Ina masu as 'one of the most amazing teachers ' has ever worked with.
'She really dedicates her career, her life, to the students, ' Sabas said. 'You can just see how amazing her teaching is through her class. All the students who have had her as a teacher—you can see the impact she's had on all of them, in every area : in their learning, in their social-emotional health and their behavior. She's one of those teachers that definitely stands out as an educator.'
Sabas, an English-language coordinator and teacher with 18 years of experience at Kalihi Uka Elementary, highlighted the school's commitment to its students despite its smaller size compared with other DOE schools.
'It's an amazing school. We are dedicated, and we strive to give the students the best education we could possibly give them, to prepare them for their future schooling and for their careers, ' Sabas said.
Sabas described Inamasu not only as an educator, but also as a trusted friend.
'She's so giving, she's so supportive, she's very kindhearted, and on a personal level, she's supported my two sons in fundraising, providing them with support as they play volleyball just like she did when she was at Chaminade University, ' Sabas said. 'She's very generous and helps all her colleagues here.
'We love to work with her, and no one deserves this award more than she does.'
Prince David Kawananakoa Middle School teacher Jade Pham and Waiakea High School teacher Rory Ino uye from Hawaii island, both Milken Educator Award recipients from 2024, attended Tuesday's award ceremony to celebrate and recognize Inamasu.
'Winning the Milken award last year had me reflect on my teaching and what I do, ' Inouye said. 'When they first announce your name, it was just shock, tons of emotions, but when you settle down … you start to think about the contributions you make to your school and your community.'
'Over the past 10 months, since I got my notification, it's just been reflecting upon how else I can keep improving. How else can I help my community and, ultimately, the students ?'
Pham and Inouye were not acquainted prior to the award, but they have since become close in the educator community, connecting with each other, learning from one another and networking with other educators in the tightknit, supportive community.
'I just want Kristy to know that she is completely deserving of this award, ' Pham said. 'Everything that she has done for her students and her community is appreciated. It's seen and it's valued, and she'll continue to do amazing work, whether it's at Kalihi Uka, at another school or anywhere at any point in her career. She's in it. She's got it. And I want the best for her, and I can't wait to get to know her more.'
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