At an assembly Tuesday morning at Kalihi Uka Elementary, students and teachers gathered with Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke to celebrate the school’s rising test scores and academic achievement.
Then a surprise visitor took the stage with another reason to celebrate: Kristy Inamasu ’12, MAT ’14, who teaches kindergarten at Kalihi Uka, was announced as a recipient of the prestigious 2024-25 Milken Educator Award. Inamasu is the sole Milken honoree in Hawai’i this year—and didn’t know about the honor until it was announced at the assembly.
Milken recipients get a $25,000 unrestricted award and invaluable mentorship opportunities.
After Inamasu’s name was called, the school gathering erupted in cheers and applause.
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Inamasu couldn’t hold back her tears of joy.
“When I heard my name, I couldn’t believe it,” she said, after the ceremony.
“Definitely something that I did not expect but just so thankful for.” The Silversword added she loves fueling her students’ curiosity, joy for learning and “just teaching them to be kind, responsible humans who will eventually grow and make a positive impact on our community.”
Often called the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Awards recognize truly outstanding educators who not only serve as a role model to their students but to their colleagues. Inamasu is just the 83rd Hawai’i recipient of the Milken Educator Award since the Aloha State joined the program in 1990, program organizers said.
Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley made the surprise announcement at the assembly and called Inamasu “nurturing and inspiring.” She added, Inamasu’s work “to make a tangible impact in her classroom and school is commendable.”
“Thank you, Kristy, for your exemplary dedication to the profession.”
Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi echoed the sentiment, saying that Inamasu is an “exceptional educator who cultivates critical thinking skills, communication, self-awareness and empathy in her kindergarteners.”
“Her classroom serves as a model for new teachers entering the profession and we are very lucky to have an outstanding teacher like her leading the way,” Hayashi said.
