Honolulu District Teacher of the Year

"To prepare myself for the challenges of the 21st century, I must consider the dynamics of my field, and the need to keep abreast of the latest curriculum and technological changes," says Honolulu District Teacher of the Year Kelvin Chun. He exposes himself to a variety of media and instructional methodology by attending great amounts of workshops and higher education classes. He has completed two Associate in Science degrees, the Telecommunication and Information Resource Management certifical program, the Educational Technology Master's Program, and a host of other curriculum and technology workshops offered by the DOE.

Chun, a technology teacher at Nuuanu Elementary, sums up his teaching philosophy, "I am the 'guide on the side', training many student experts to train others." In his classroom, Chun takes on the role of facilitator to guide students toward their own discoveries.

http://www2.k12.hi.us/COMM/DOEPRESS.NSF/

Contact: Greg Knudsen

Date: September 24, 1999

Public Schools Honor Y2K District Teachers of the Year

The Board and Department of Education today honored its seven Year 2000 District Teachers of the Year. One of the District TOYs will be named State Teacher of the Year at the Board of Education meeting on October 7, and will represent Hawaii in the National Teacher of the Year program.

Hawaii's 2000 District Teachers of the Year are Kelvin Y.S. Chun (Honolulu District), Violet Chang (Central District), Adrian Galvez (Leeward District), Ella "Elly" Tepper (Windward District), Michael Springer (Hawaii District), Art Fillazar (Maui District), and DeWayne Kong (Kauai District).

Each District TOY received a $250 cash award from the Polynesian Cultural Center, the State program corporate sponsor for the 14th consecutive year.

The PCC will award an additional $1,000 to the State Teacher of the Year.

A new sponsor this year, Volkswagen Dealers Association of Hawaii, will award a one-year free lease of a Year 2000 VW Jetta to this year's State TOY.

Below are capsule descriptions of each District TOY:

-- KELVIN Y.S. CHUN - Honolulu District,

Nuuanu Elementary (595-3371), Grades K-6/Technology.

Kelvin Chun Honolulu, HI Technology

Kelvin has served as a math or technology teacher at the school, district, and state levels for more than 15 years. "I believe in the 'trainer of trainer' philosophy: once a student has attained a benchmark, other students can learn from this expert," he says. "I train students to be life-long learners. The knowledge that is attained by everyone is used to support classroom learning objectives."

-- VIOLET CHANG - Central District,

Moanalua Middle (626-7355), Grades 7-8/English, Leadership.

Violet has taught at the school and district level for more than 30 years. "I think the key factor in making learning full of wonder was experiencing the passion conveyed by professors and instructors who breathed life into the readings and made literature, drama, history come alive," she says. "I wished I had been 'turned on' earlier in my academic life, and I wanted to turn on others to the magic of language, thinking, experiencing, creating, and growing."

-- ADRIAN GALVEZ - Leeward District,

August Ahrens Elementary (675-0202), Grade 5.

Adrian decided to become a teacher while tutoring immigrant students with Operation Manong as a college student. After 22 years of teaching, he says of his students: "They all need to be nurtured. The key is not to rush them, but to be patient and understanding. Skills are developed through experiences, stimulation, and hard work."

-- ELLA "ELLY" TEPPER - Windward District,

Keolu Elementary (266-7818), Grades Preschool-6.

Elly, a classroom teacher for 29 years, was teaching on the mainland when she requested a brochure from Hawaii entitled "Come and Teach the Children of Paradise." "So I followed the rainbow and started my journey to becoming a real teacher," she says. "Since 1970 the Children of Paradise have been teaching me. I am a fascinated student of Hawaiian language, dance, chant, music, and thought."

-- MICHAEL SPRINGER - Hawaii District,

Waiakeawaena Elementary (959-5821), Grades K-5/Music.

Michael has shared his excitement as a music educator at the school and district levels for more than 18 years. "I became a music teacher because of excellent music teachers! The positive nurturing care of my music teachers in high school and college inspired me to strive to be like them," he says. "Their deep love for music and their need to share with others that profound experience that is music-making became my joy and lifelong ambition."

-- ART FILLAZAR - Maui District,

Lahainaluna High (662-4000), Secondary Grades/English.

Art has more than 25 years of teaching experience, and has been at Lahainaluna since 1984. "The greatest rewards in teaching are those special moments when I read notes and letters that I receive from students expressing their thanks for caring, for showing them the way, for picking them out of the crowd and encouraging them to do better, for knowing their name, and for asking them to get involved," he says.

-- DeWAYNE KONG - Kauai District,

Kauai High & Intermediate (274-3160), Grades

9-12/Business Education.

DeWayne didn't really intend to follow in his parents' footsteps and become a teacher more than 15 years ago. "Upon graduation, I went to work in the accounting field, I hated it," he says. "Due to continual parent support and my rationalization on not wasting my business degree, I ended up back in college and became a business teacher. Call it luck, faith, or destiny, teaching has become my love."

Contact: Greg Knudsen

Date: September 21, 1999

Media Advisory:

BOE and DOE to Honor Y2K District Teachers of the Year

The Board and Department of Education will honor its 2000 District Teachers of

the Year on Friday, September 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., during a

luncheon at the Hale Koa Hotel, Laulima Room.

MEDIA COVERAGE IS WELCOME: Each District TOY will give a five-minute speech

from about 11:20 to noon. Group shots can be arranged. Site contact: Elizabeth

Wong.

The DOE's 2000 District Teachers of the Year are:

-- Honolulu District - KELVIN Y.S. CHUN, Nuuanu Elementary (595-3371). Subject:

Technology (gr. K-6). Teaching experience: 15+ years.

-- Central District - VIOLET CHANG, Moanalua Middle (626-7355). Subject: English

(gr. 7-8). Teaching experience: 30+ years.

-- Leeward District - ADRIAN GALVEZ, August Ahrens Elementary (675-0202).

Subject: Grade 5. Teaching experience: 22+ years.

-- Windward District - ELLA "ELLY" TEPPER, Keolu Elementary (266-7818).

Subject: Preschool-Gr. 6. Teaching experience: 29+ years.

-- Hawaii District - MICHAEL SPRINGER, Waiakeawaena Elementary (959-5821).

Subject: Music (gr. K-5). Teaching experience: 18+ years.

-- Maui District - ART FILLAZAR, Lahainaluna High (662-4000). Subject: English

(secondary grades). Teaching experience: 25+ years.

-- Kauai District - DeWAYNE KONG, Kauai High & Intermediate (274-3160). Subject:

Business Education (gr. 9-12). Teaching experience: 15+ years.

Each District Teacher of the Year will receive a $250 cash award from the

Polynesian Cultural Center, the State program corporate sponsor for the 14th

consecutive year.

One of the District Teachers of the Year will be named State Teacher of the Year

at the BOE meeting on October 7 at Kapalama Elementary School. The State TOY will

receive an additional $1,000 cash award from the Polynesian Cultural Center.

A new sponsor this year, Volkswagen Dealers Association of Hawaii, will award a

one-year free lease of a Year 2000 VW Jetta to this year's State Teacher of the

Year.

Kelvin's Resumé

Tuesday, September 28, 1999

Star-Bulletin

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin

Nuuanu teacher Kelvin Chun works with students doing

a closed-circuit television broadcast. Chun, being honored

by the Disney Co., started a technology club whose

members help others learn

Disney aids Nuuanu

teacher's dreams

For his ideas to encourage

pupils, Kelvin Chun wins

himself and school $5,000

By Crystal Kua

Star-Bulletin

Aaron Domingo and Christopher Wong were a little nervous while anchoring the first interactive news broadcast of the year at Nuuanu Elementary yesterday morning.

All eyes at the school were on them, and the two sixth-graders knew that millions of people could be watching eventually.

That's because one of the cameras focused on the boys was actually there to chronicle a day in the life of their technology teacher, Kelvin Y.S. Chun, for the Disney Co., which is honoring him as an outstanding teacher.

Chun is one of 39 teachers chosen from more than 75,000 nominations nationwide in Disney's American Teacher Awards.

He will be flown to Los Angeles for an awards show that will be televised on the Disney

Channel on Nov. 15. One teacher from the group will be selected Outstanding Teacher of the Year, which carries a $25,000 prize for the teacher and the teacher's school.

For being named an honoree, Chun receives $2,500 and Nuuanu Elementary receives $2,500.

Chun was nominated for the award by an anonymous student, who probably feels the same as his current crop.

"I think he's a really good teacher," Wong said.

"He's talented," Domingo said.

Wong and Domingo are are members of Chun's Technology Club, which assists the rest of the school in learning technology through the "trainer of trainers" process.

"That way, more people can learn," Chun said. "I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to learn technology because they'll be living in the 21st century."

Chun uses computers, video equipment and other multimedia equipment to help children learn.

All the students have a computer portfolio of their work and they use the computer for Internet research and preparing presentations.

During the interactive broadcast, students from across the school are able to answer questions via computers.

Chun's recognition also brings honor to the school as a whole, Principal Eleanor Fujioka said.

"We all feel like we helped in different facets to win this award," Fujioka said, noting that faculty, staff, students and parents have thrown their support behind Chun's ideas. His students say he's always there to help when they need it.

"He helps you to understand," Domingo said.

Fujioka said that Chun's never-ending excitement and his teaching innovations in technology are what make him good at what he does.

"He's continually creating new learning environments," Fujioka said.

"His mind is constantly creating."

That creativity is also evident in Chun's hobbies -- magic, balloon artistry and Asian kites, which he says also has some things in common with his love of technology.

"Once you get into it, you want to learn more," he said.

Chun has also been named the Honolulu District's teacher of the year.

He along with the other six district teachers of the year are in the running for state Teacher of the Year, which will be announced by the Board of Education Oct. 7.

The Newsletter of the University of Hawai'i System

February 4, 2000

Vol. 6 / No. 22

Kulama

Kelvin Chun: Magical Teacher

With the new millennium underway, teachers like Kelvin Y. S. Chun ('82, '83, '95 UHM; '85, '86 Leeward CC) face the greater mission and challenge to provide students with the right tools to being successful.

Chun has a special gift of digging deep inside and unlocking the magic that lies within every student.

Chun, a technology resource teacher at Nu`uanu Elementary School, has received numerous teaching recognitions. Last year he received Disney's American Teacher Award and was named the 1999 Honolulu District Teacher of the Year.

"I found my most rewarding experiences in teaching children of all levels, abilities, backgrounds and experiences," Chun says.

He was one of only 39 teachers selected from more than 75,000 nominations received by the Walt Disney Company. Disney's American Teacher Award recognizes the teaching profession, showcases creativity in the classroom and honors those who assist in developing creative teaching strategies.

As an honoree, Chun received $2,500 and another $2,500 went to Nu`uanu Elementary School.

"I have experienced teaching math and technology classes in eight elementary and secondary schools in three of Hawai`i's seven districts for more than 15 years," Chun says. "I believe that all students can attain the level of standards required given the opportunity and time."

While his accomplishments are impressive, Chun says the awards are just a bonus to the rewards he receives from teaching.

"The most gratifying experience is to see change at the school level by developing innovative programs to support student learning," Chun explains.

Aside from teaching, Chun is a talented magician, balloon artist and

kite enthusiast. He discovered that learning magic was a valuable tool to support teaching and learning--a hobby that invests in itself.

--by Teri Yanagawa

The Newsletter of the College of Education/

University of Hawai'i at Manoa

Current Perspectives

Number Seventeen

Spring 2000

Alumni Honors

Kelvin YS Chun, teacher at Nuuanu Elementary School and a 1995 graduate of the College, was named 1999 Honoree in Disney's American Teacher Awards. Mr. Chun was one of only 39 teachers selected from more than 75,000 nominations the Walt Disney Company received. He was honored at the Disney celebration cablecast on Disney Channel on November 15.

Teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade are selected for their innovative teaching methods that actively engage students in learning. Chun will also attend a summer institute where he and other honorees will share and explore innovative teaching approaches and then design a professional development action plan that will implement in their school districts during the 2000-2001 school year.

"Disney's American Teacher Awards is an honor," said Laurie Lang, senior vice president, the Walt Disney Company. "But to the Walt Disney Company, they're also an investment -- an investment in teachers who have that special gift of digging deep inside and unlocking the imagination we all know lies within every child. Kelvin YS Chun is one of those teachers." Kelvin was also named Hawai'i Teacher of the Year for the Honolulu District.

Other COE alumni who were named Teacher of the Year from their respective districts include: Violet Chang, Central; Adrian Galvez, Leeward; DeWayne Kong, Kauai, and Elly Tepper, Windward.