Chaminade University of Honolulu

Education

Counselor of the Year

Chaminade alumna recognized for her work and contributions

In a teary emotional speech she gave after returning from Washington, D.C. as the 2023  Hawai‘i School Counselor of the Year, Brittnie Caraulia thanked her Helemano Elementary School colleagues, expressing her gratitude for their support and all the work that they do for the keiki.

“This is the highest honor,” said Caraulia, MSCP ’15, on being honored with the 2023 Hawai‘i School Counselor of the Year by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) during its annual National School Counselor of the Year ceremonies in the nation’s capital. “This brings me the greatest joy in life, and I’m proud of everything that we do together.”

The ASCA School Counselor of the Year award honors professionals who devote their careers to advocating for the nation’s students and addressing their academic and social-emotional development, and college and career readiness needs. Honorees were judged based on their ability to create systemic change within the school counseling profession.

Brittnie Caraulia was recognized as Hawaii’s School Counselor of the Year.

“The role of our school counselors are so integral to the success of our students,” said Hawai‘i Department of Education Superintendent, Keith Hayashi, in a news release. “Now more than ever, we rely on their expertise and guidance in creating positive and innovative ways to enhance the academic and social-emotional needs of our students. The Department is grateful to have counselors like Ms. Caraulia in our schools, every day, working tirelessly to advocate for and support student success. She is a shining example of Helemano’s efforts to grow a ‘leaderful’ organization.”

A school counselor for grades 3-5 at Helemano Elementary since 2019 and a Hawai‘i State Department of Education school counselor since 2015, one of Caraulia’s greatest accomplishments has been establishing a data-driven Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) program within her school. The program takes a systemic approach to monitoring student success, creating school-wide, social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives that focus on quality teacher-student relationships. As a result of implementing this program, students’ perception of overall school safety improved from 56 percent to over 90 percent. 

Caraulia also helped to establish a Helemano School Counseling Program, where she conducts quarterly training for staff on SEL interventions and classroom management, collaborates with teachers to incorporate SEL into their core curriculum, creates biweekly SEL lessons for all grade levels, and has designed a referral system to make data-informed decisions for all students. The school counseling program now serves as a foundation for student social-emotional, behavioral and academic success. Caraulia regularly trains staff on the program and has even shared the success of this program with other elementary schools across the state.

“Ms. Caraulia is an indispensable resource to our school—providing an excellent counseling program, a fierce devotion to students and teachers, and an innovative method of vastly advancing the social and emotional needs of our students,” Helemano Elementary Principal Ernest Muh said. “She advocates vigorously for all students at our school by collaborating with parents and teachers to determine the most beneficial course of action to assist each individual student.”

Caraulia’s passion in serving her school community is felt individually and collectively throughout the school by both teachers and students. In addition to helping the students, Caraulia has cultivated a nurturing environment for teachers, focusing on their mental health and wellness needs. She has an open-door policy for any staff needing to share personal or professional concerns and has spearheaded activities that promote and prioritize staff well-being. 

 “My proudest accomplishment during my time as a school counselor at Helemano Elementary has been establishing a data-driven MTSS and school counseling program,” Caraulia said. “What I find most rewarding about being a school counselor is the relationships I build with my students, staff and families.”

Economic Education

Including indigenous cultures and values into education is not about making the Indigenous populations stronger. They are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”

Guanlin Gao, Ph.D., adapted from G.D. Anderson’s famous quote about feminism

Economics professor promotes financial literacy

Guanlin Gao, Ph.D., likes to play games. And during the recent National Association of Economic Education (NAEE) Conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Chaminade Economics associate professor and Director of Economic Education Center for Excellence devoted part of her presentation playing the Public Goods Game (PGG), in which players are given tokens—in this case Kona coffee beans—and given the opportunity to anonymously allocate them in either private or public funds.

“The purpose of the game is to let participants experience the indigenous culture through a hands-on game,” Gao explains. “The game is also related to the shared natural resources and land management of ahupua‘a, where people have shared responsibility and contribute to the common good with their expertise.”

This fundamental economic game has become a classic laboratory environment for studying collective group decisions in which participants decide how much to contribute to a common pool. The countervailing effect, however, is that there is an incentive for group members to “free-ride” on individuals who contribute positive amounts to the common pool. 

Guanlin Gao presents at the National Association of Economic Education Spring Conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Those who invested in the private fund could keep the funds, and divide the shares among its members. However, for those who invested in the public fund, they could either share the return among all the groups or simply keep the yield within their own group.

“On the East Coast, players would largely invest in private funds,” Gao says. “But in Hawaii, most players contribute to public funds, which evenly distributes the return among all members. We have a more inclusive culture in Hawaii, as opposed to individualism.”

The NAEE’s three-day Spring Professional Development Conference was attended by economic educators at the state and federal level, as well as educational institutions that house the equivalent to Chaminade’s Economic Education for Excellence. One of NAEE’s primary missions is to provide professional development programs and training for educators to promote economics, personal finance and entrepreneurial education in the classroom.

“Right now, the country is having a movement about economic literacy, and it starts at an early age,” Gao says. “We want the younger generation to have a foundational understanding of personal finance and economics. We want to provide them the tools they need to make informed financial decisions, and create a better life for themselves and for those around them.”

The overall goal of the three-day conference was to promote economic and personal financial education from K-12 through college. Various departments of education around the country already stipulate that students take an economics or personal financial class in order to graduate. Gao is working on this with Hawaii Department of Education but, in the meantime, she’s sharing her knowledge with other teachers.

“I wanted the participants to walk away knowing more about the unique, yet diverse cultures, in this country, and promote economics and personal finance education in a way that relates and speaks to the populations we serve,” Gao notes. “I also talked about the traditions of sharing, not owning in Hawaii (for example, abundance means we have a lot to share, not how much we own), and why the conventional economic assumptions of ‘everyone is self-interested’ and ‘the only goal for a firm is to maximize profit’ do not resonate with our students’ identities and beliefs.”

Consider the Facts*

Many young people lack the basic financial knowledge and skills to prosper in life. Like many educators, the Council for Economic Education cares about equipping students with the knowledge they need to improve their futures.

40% of Americans have less than $300 in savings
24%
of Millennials demonstrate basic financial literacy
50%
of America’s youth will earn less than their parents

2 Million+
Students reached by CEE programs and teachers
Over 50,000
Teachers reached worldwide
1,000+
Lessons, guides & activities for teachers

*Council for Economic Education

HPA Board Appointments

Psychology faculty members gain HPA board seats

The Hawai‘i Psychological Association (HPA) members have elected several Chaminade University faculty to its 2023-2024 Board. Sean Scanlan, Ph.D., becomes the society’s next president-elect. Also appointed to the HPA Board are Lianne Philhower as Secretary, Katie Chun as Clinical Division Representative and student representative Kendyl Oshiro.

Dr. Scanlan is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and is the Director of the Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, and is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Hawai‘i. He has held several psychology-related administrative positions since 2000 and has served as the program’s director since 2014. His interests are in child and adolescent psychopathology, assessment and treatment. For more than 20 years, Scanlan has worked with hundreds of Hawai‘i’s children and adolescents as a therapist, behavioral consultant, parent trainer, treatment program director, teacher and coach. His specialty is in autism spectrum disorder and externalizing behavior disorders.

Dr. Philhower, Psy.D., M.P.H., is an Associate Professor and licensed clinical psychologist. Her diverse professional background includes working in public health environments, outpatient community mental health programs, private practice, school consultation and education. She utilizes a developmentally-informed, Cognitive Behavioral perspective that is highly compatible with Health Service Provider in Psychology’s (HSPP) aim to educate and train students employing a practitioner-scholar model. As a scholar, Philhower has provided community trainings, consultation and presentations, and has supported the research projects of countless students. She continues her own education and scholarship by pursuing a Ph.D. in Integrative Medicine.

Jeff Stern, Ph.D. has been appointed to the State Board of Psychology.

Dr. Chun is an Associate Professor who earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Francisco Bay campus. Upon returning to Hawai‘i, she worked in child maltreatment and family trauma as a Hawai‘i-licensed clinical psychologist. After working at a nonprofit community mental health center, she went into private practice, providing assessment and therapy services to children, adolescents and adults in individual, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and family therapy, as well as emotional and behavioral consultation. She also worked as the psychological evaluator at a K-12 independent school. Chun is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the APA Division 5, and HPA.

As the leading resource for psychological health, research and policy in the state, HPA’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for the people of Hawai’i by encouraging, integrating, applying and communicating the contributions of Psychology in all its branches. The organization also seeks to strengthen public relations, advocate for a psychologically healthy community, develop solutions for mental health care, be responsive to the multiple cultures in Hawai’ i, promote the highest standards of professional ethics, and to diffuse psychological knowledge through meetings, conventions and publications.

In other faculty news, Dr. Jeffrey Stern was recently appointed to the State Board of Psychology, which oversees licensing laws and professional conduct among other issues. Stern received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa and has been a licensed psychologist in Hawaii for more than 15 years. He is a past president of the Hawaiʻi Psychological Association and has been an HPA board member for more than a decade. Besides maintaining a clinical practice and teaching full time, Stern is the clinical director of the Hawaiʻi MCHLEND (Maternal Child Health – Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) program, supported by a Federal training grant. He has served as an expert witness in due process hearings, frequently writes testimony as a member of the HPA Legislative Action Committe, and chaired the committee that drafted the continuing education statute for psychologists in the state. His research interests and current activities are focused on children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, and their families and workplace well-being.

Scholarship Luncheon

Students thank donors for their continued support

More than 80 donors, students and staff attended this year’s Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon on February 9, 2023, in-person and online. Dr. Lynn M. Babington, President of Chaminade University of Honolulu addressed the audience and expressed her gratitude for the support of our students. Dr. Babington shared how Chaminade offers more than 100 scholarships that have been generously established by individual donors and foundations. Many of them are endowed, and several are renewable investments that are replenished each year. This year alone, students received nearly $2.3 million in donor-funded scholarships.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to thank and to let donors know how much their support has made a difference in their educational journey,” said Jimmy Tran, Stewardship and Scholarships Manager in the Office of Advancement. “Our donors see how their support helps fulfill our students’ dreams of obtaining a quality college education and to go on to successful careers.”

Chaminade juniors Caitlin Bocobo and Aleeyah Lemons shared their appreciation for their scholarship. “Words are not enough to express how grateful we are for your gifts that made our scholarships possible. I am here today to offer my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to you all,” said Bocobo ’24.

“Donors allow students, like me, to get the most out of their college experience—to grow, mature and make a difference in this world,” said Lemons ’24. “The Silversword ‘ohana is grateful to have you all. I am grateful to have your support and faith.”

Dani Masuda, Assistant Vice President for Student Success shared with the gathering how the scholarships can be the difference between attending college or not. “Scholarships contribute to a student’s wellness and the reach goes far beyond just the individual student. Mahalo nui loa to our donors for your continued generosity, commitment, and investment in our students,” said Masuda.

If you would like to support a student attending Chaminade University, contact Jimmy Tran at [email protected]

Dr. Lynn Babington Address Scholarship Luncheon Attendees

Donors, faculty, staff and students gathered for the annual Scholarship Luncheon.

Family Ties

Generations of Kaneohe ‘ohana devote themselves to educating Hawaii keiki

Agnes Brown '22

Being an educator runs in Agnes Brown’s genes. Her grandmother was a music teacher at Kapaa Elementary for 30 years. Her mother, Mandy Thronas-Brown, was the principal at St. Ann’s before it closed in 2021 and now serves as Associate Superintendent with Hawaii Catholic Schools. And most of her aunties and cousins are also educators. It’s only fitting then that the Elementary Education major would follow the same trajectory. 

“Growing up with my mom as a teacher at St. Ann’s, I was always inspired by how she engaged her students,” says Brown ’23. “I knew that education was always a passion of mine, and I knew that I loved working with kids, especially younger kids.”

However, like many events that were paused—or canceled—due to COVID-19 restrictions, Brown’s observation in the classroom was also sidelined, forcing the school to turn to Teaching Channel videos as a way to supplement students’ field experience.

“COVID impacted all of the education programs because students were not allowed in schools,” says Katrina Roseler, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Education and Director of Teacher Education Programs. However, she points out that as restrictions eased after two years, Agnes and her peers did get the chance to experience working with students at Palolo Elementary School during after-school tutoring. 

Starting in 2023, Brown will lead her own classroom at Sacred Hearts Academy, her alma mater. “I’m a little nervous, but I’m going to make it fun for the kids,” says Brown, with a smile. “Education was not always fun for me. It was definitely more of a chore than anything to be excited about.”

Agnes Brown '22 speaking with Sacred Hearts student

As a lifelong learner, Brown plans to take cues from some of her previous teachers and professors, who, she says, made concepts interesting and easier to understand. But there will be challenges, just like with any profession. The Kaneohe native accepts that she will encounter tough days, from planning engaging lessons to responding to classroom distractions. 

“My advice, stay calm,” says her mom, Thronas-Brown, who has been in the education field for 28 years. “The fears I think she is experiencing are being able to plan lessons accordingly and being responsible for the education of her students in her classroom, which is always a concern of all new teachers.”

Thronas-Brown also offers another sage nugget: strive to be the best teacher you can possibly be and treat each child in your classroom with compassion while ensuring you meet all teaching expectations.  

“Trust yourself and give yourself time to develop your style of teaching,” Thronas-Brown advises. “Never be afraid to ask for help.  No teacher is given a ‘playbook’ for each child in their classroom stating the best way to educate that individual.”

Kindhearted, curious, empathetic and leadership have defined Brown since she was a child.

“I was still in elementary school when I knew that I wanted to become a teacher,” Brown acknowledges. “I know I want to become a teacher that likes to help kids who don’t get it right away—like me when I was in school. And I want to provide the same nurturing environment that some of my former teachers created.” 

Brown’s mentors have also taught her the value of an education, especially a Catholic one. And while friends have questioned her choice of career, based on pay grade—in Hawaii, an elementary teacher’s entry-level salary ranges between $45,593 and $51,209, according to Hawaii State Teachers Association’s 2022-2023 salary schedule—she would rather accept a lower income doing what she likes best than a higher one that would blunt her passion for teaching.

“We are truly blessed with a self-driven, dedicated, loyal, compassionate, and loving child who knows God and seeks to be the best version of herself each day,” Thronas-Brown says. “We are extremely proud of our daughter Agnes, and we wish her nothing but the best in her life and future career.”

A New Frontier for Students

Students VR moon walking with NASA Educators

Students were over the moon when National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) educators were on campus for a one-day Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) event. Among them was Elementary Education major, Alaina Mercado, who described the experience as creative and inspiring.

“I got to ride a rocket to the International Space Station—virtually, of course,” Mercado quips. “It really made science fun and gave students a true hands-on, simulation experience; I even got to move about the cabin, as well as conduct a spacewalk.”

The outreach program is a national educator professional development and STEM engagement organization designed to partner with NASA in support of STEM educators and their students across the country. Its primary mission is to help a broader group of educators access the best of NASA’s professional learning resources, which are integrated with culturally relevant STEM pedagogies. The goal, overall, is to inspire and motivate diverse student audiences to pursue STEM fields of study, careers and opportunities with NASA.

NASA educators
NASA educators Sara Torres, Ph.D., and Monica Uribe

“NASA’s education and outreach programs are important to NASA’s mission, especially in STEM education for a few reasons,” explains NASA Ames Research Center Education Specialist, Sara Torres, Ph.D., one of the four NASA educators who led the event’s activities. “First, this is one of the ways that NASA not only informs the public of its programs and missions but engages the public through their educational competitions and hands-on activities that align with real-time work.”

Secondly, Torres adds, because NASA is aware of the demographic shift in the country, it has made a commitment to reach all students, including underserved and underrepresented population.

“NASA education specialists have the agency to connect NASA engineers and scientists to the public, allowing them to see the faces of NASA,” says NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Education Specialist Monica Uribe, another event participant. “This opportunity not only creates spaces to learn about the important work NASA does but to connect with them in a way that students see themselves in the people who work at NASA and, most importantly, begin to see the possibilities that they, too, one day can work at a place like NASA.”

Associate Professor at the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences and Director of Teacher Education Programs, Dr. Katrina Roseler first established a Chaminade connection with NASA in 2016, but it wasn’t until a NASA summer workshop in 2018, when she met Dr. Torres, that opened the possibility of an on-campus visit.

“Since 2018, Chaminade students and I have participated in NASA Education activities, specifically online webinars, some of which have been facilitated by Dr. Torres and Dr. Monice Uribe (another event attendee and a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Education Specialist),” Roseler says. “In the spring of 2022, I reached out to Dr. Torres about an opportunity to collaborate virtually to support elementary education majors. Those conversations evolved into the face-to-face experience and subsequent activities that occurred during the three-day event in September.”

Students doing NASA projects

The day’s event at Chaminade featured various technology-based activities, an art project, as well as an engineering design challenge, which entailed using different materials to develop a Lunar Lander with a paper cup, note cards, channel sticks, rubber bands, adhesive tape and construction paper. Students were tasked to design and create a capsule that astronauts would be safe in when dropped from a height of 4 -5 feet.

“My Lander didn’t work so well,” Mercado laughs. “All the educators, though, were so very kind and encouraging.”

“We chose NASA activities that aligned well with the topics presented,” Torres says. “One was the moon. Students created their own rover out of recyclable materials. Their objective was to have the cardboard rover move using a rubber band, pencil, straw and Life Savers candy.”

NASA educators also covered the topic of Aeronautics. During the “Navigate Your Zone” module, students were able to use small ball robots, called Spheros, to simulate Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs. In another activity, students used templates of the experimental plane X-59 to fold paper airplanes then use their own breath as the thrust to make the paper airplane fly.

“The X-59 is NASA’s experimental plane, which is designed to lower the sonic boom,” Torres says. “Succeeding in this will allow for commercial travel to only take half the time it currently takes.”

Chaminade student teaching at Palolo Elementary School

A secondary component of the event included a visit to Palolo Elementary School, where Chaminade students took what they learned from NASA educators and shared it with the students in grades three to five.

“We transferred our knowledge to the kids,” Mercado says. “So it was kind of going full circle.”

Torres notes that their experience with the Chaminade education students was a joy, adding every student was motivated and ready to engage in the activity.

“More importantly, students were working—not only to learn the activities—but they understood they would be leading the activities with elementary students the following day and took their learning seriously,” Torres says. “Every student engaged positively, asked questions to better be prepared and did a phenomenal job facilitating the activities the following day.”

Roseler believes that such hands-on learning activities—which model what teachers should be doing in classrooms—are always beneficial.

“I imagine that these activities will resonate with Chaminade Education students for years to come,” Roseler says. “I plan on using them as examples throughout the remainder of the semester as examples of active learning with real-world applications.”