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NCIS Special Agents in Hawaii

Chaminade Alumni Represent True NCIS Agents

They don’t go around pointing their guns at people. They don’t detonate bombs. And they certainly don’t solve major crimes in an hour. But, what five Chaminade alumni do help to accomplish is to keep Hawaii safe.

​​As special agents for the Hawaii Field Office of NCIS headquartered at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Chris Meana ’12, Pia Teves ’85, Tamara Kenessey ’16, Olivia DeQuiroz ’12 and Kay Een ’02  are tasked with monitoring crime, conducting polygraph tests, supporting criminal investigations, and providing analytical support and technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM).

They’re important jobs for sure. And for Meana, it has been a “life calling.”

Chris Meana, right, and Kay Een promote NCIS at a recruitment affair.
Chris Meana, right, and Kay Een promote NCIS at a recruitment affair.

“When I attended Chaminade, I was really into my religious classes, and I thought that was my calling,” says Meana, an Intelligence  Specialist with NCIS since 2015 who also acts as NCIS Honors Student Internship Coordinator, and is a member of Member of the Special Agent in Charge Advisory Group. “But then I served with the Hawaii National Guard and I refined my calling, wanting to make an impact in my hometown.”

For DeQuiroz, it was not so much a calling but a necessity that led her to the NCIS Hawaii Field Office. “I needed to pay for college so I applied for an administrative position,” says the Polygraph Examiner. “Then a job came up and I was encouraged to apply, and I passed a series of tests during the hiring process.”

Today, DeQuiroz provides counterintelligence, monitoring spies, terrorists and any matter that pertains to our national security across all branches of the military. She’s also involved with “Operation Keiki Shield,” which is part of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that is comprised of a national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing more than 5,400 federal, state and local law enforcement.

“Internet crimes are always challenging,” DeQuiroz says. “But we’ve managed to arrest more than 100 child predators in our Task Force in Hawaii.”

Olivia DeQuiroz administers a mock polygraph test.
Olivia DeQuiroz administers a mock polygraph test.

With the nation’s strategic focus shifting towards the Indo-Pacific region, the NCIS Hawaii Field Office’s multi-faceted capabilities are even more in demand. Stretching from the Pacific coastline to the Indian Ocean, the area  is home to more than half of the world’s people, nearly two-thirds of the world’s economy and seven of the world’s largest militaries. And in the years ahead, as the region drives as much as two-thirds of global economic growth, its influence will only grow—as will its importance to the United States.

A former electrician with his family’s business, Teves started as a Technical Investigative Specialist (TIS) Agent in 1987 and became a Technical Enforcement Officer in 2014. He is now the sole provider of technical support for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, as well as providing technical security for the entire Pacific Command.

“Before there was internet, I was looking at an actual bulletin board while I was on campus, and I came across this poster that read: Naval Investigative Service  (NIS), Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), Special Agent position. Overseas travel, Worldwide locations,” recalls Teves, whose official NCIS title is currently Technical Surveillance Specialist. “I had no idea what it was, but it sounded sexy so I applied. About nine months later, I was hired as an Agent.”

Pia Teves, wearing tank top, were on temporary duty travel to provide protective service for Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command during his official visit to Manila, Philippines in 2004.
Pia Teves, wearing tank top, and his colleagues were on temporary duty travel to provide protective service for Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, during his official visit to Manila, Philippines in 2004.

Often misperceived as a branch of the military, NCIS is not. It is, however, the federal law enforcement arm of the Department of the Navy. Comprised primarily of civilian 1811 special agents and a small cadre of active duty Marine Corps active duty investigators, NCIS has more than 14 field offices and over 190 locations. Its special agents are stationed worldwide in support of military operations.

With historical roots tied to the Office of Naval Intelligence, the modern NCIS was formally established in 1966 as the Naval Investigative Service.  It was re-organized and assigned a civilian director in 1992, along with a name change to the now Naval Criminal Investigative Service. With this re-branding, NCIS also became a primarily civilian agency as an insulation against military command influence.

“We’re an agency of around only 2,500 members, which is relatively small compared to the major players, like the DEA, ATF and FBI,” Meana points out. “But our capabilities are well respected, and we are well known for our role in counterintelligence, protective service and force protection operations.”

Solving crimes and catching the bad guys, though, aren’t the only issues that the NCIS Hawai‘i Field Office faces. Integrating itself into the local community is vital, as well, which is why the team can be seen throughout the year at a variety of functions. Some outreach efforts focus on awareness and education, spanning across such topics as internet safety and sexual assault prevention to identity theft and cybercrime.

Kay Een flashes a shaka while in Baghdad, Iraq circa 2005.

A Special Agent since 2020, Kenessey deals with death investigations, child enticement, fraud, arson and all federal-level investigations that involve criminal and security matters with the Navy.

Upon learning that her mentor, Associate Professor Dr. Joe Allen, passed away in December 2021, Kenessey was saddened by the news. “Technically I wouldn’t be here if Dr. Allen hadn’t written a letter, and told me to check out NCIS,” Kenessey says. “I think Chaminade lost a valuable professor and mentor. As I said, he was an integral part of where I am today both academically and professionally.”

Kay Een, meanwhile, praises Chaminade for its welcoming atmosphere and for the experiential learning that helped her land a job with NCIS. As NCIS’ Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer,  Een supports NCIS’ progression in the DEI arena by supporting enterprise initiatives to implement the best business practices, encouraging collaboration, and delivering proven solutions to nurture a ready and resilient, globally-engaged workforce. She was introduced to the NCIS Honors Internship Program while a Silversword.

“Much like my time at Chaminade, I believe there is great value being surrounded by people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives,” says Een, who is now in her 20th year with NCIS. “Being in a place that fosters diversity through inclusion is key to growing an innovative and agile workforce.”

As far as the authenticity of CBS’ popular NCIS franchise, Meana, Teves, DeQuiroz, Kenessey and Een agree that the drama doesn’t always get it right. “We have a close relationship with the show, and we’ve worked with them closely,” Meana says. “They try to stay close to reality, but they do add their own fictional twist.”

Surf Studies

Culture, history and future intersect to create the perfect wave

Surf studies may just well be the new wave in some academia circles. As more scholars publish academic books about the sport of surfing, from “Waves of Resistance: Surfing and History in Twentieth-Century Hawaiʻi” to “Waves of Knowing: A Seascape Epistemology,” universities around the world have begun to embrace the discipline as worthy of research, education and scholarship.

A decade ago, a love for surfing prompted a group of Chaminade faculty members, including Drs. Jim Kraus, Pete Steiger, Michio Yamasaki and Hank Trapido-Rosenthal, to brainstorm the idea of teaching an undergraduate surf class. Yet, it wasn’t until a few years ago, during a casual faculty pau hana, that the notion of “Critical Surf Studies” re-emerged.

“I mentioned it to Lynn (President Babington) and she was interested,” recalls Kraus, an avid surfer since the ’60s and the former publisher of “Hawai‘i Surf & Sea;” from 1980-1984. “Then Lance (Provost) walked by, and I pitched the idea to him, too.”

Eventually, it was Cheryl Edelson, Ph.D., Dean of School of Humanities, Arts, and Design, who presented the topic to the full Chaminade Curriculum Council, which is the final recommending voice in curricular matters with the definitive stamps of approval resting with Drs. Babington and Askildson.

Magazine illustration of native Hawaiians surf-riding (surfing) from an article entitled “Our Neighbors of the Sandwich Islands” in Hutchings’ California Magazine, November 1858.

“Surfing is such an integral part of Hawaiian culture that it deserves to be part of our curriculum,” Babington says. “This program is the first of its kind in Hawai‘i, and it challenges students to explore surf culture’s indigenous origins, its growing popularity globally and its importance to Hawai‘i’s sense of place.”

Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing.
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian Olympic swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing. 

Celebrating its second anniversary, the Surf Studies Minor examines the broad area of surfing communities and the complicated conflicts that define them, conflicts over access—to beaches, to parking and to the surf zone (po‘ina nalu) itself. Also of central concern is “ownership” of individual waves. It’s a question that Kraus posed in his first class of the semester.

“The idea behind wave ownership and the entitlement that accompanies the belief that one could own any wave signifies a pretty strong misunderstanding of the relationship between surfers and the wave,” Environmental Studies major, Kahana Yokoyama ’23, posted to the class’s online forum. “A good example is merging while driving. If two lanes combine, regardless of where, there is a relatively similar degree of respect when leaving room for others to merge. Taking turns is the most basic basis for this and the same is true for surfing.”

The SURF 480 class uses an asynchronous-learning model, which does not require consistent real-time interactions with an instructor. Students can access course materials—lectures, readings and assignments—on their own time. Although this is an online class, students are required to regularly participate by posting responses to questions posed on the forum. And they must also keep a journal in a conventional bound paper notebook, which they will have to submit regularly, and which Kraus says he reserves the right to read.

“We examine surfing in an academic sense and as part of pop culture,” Kraus explains. “We look at surfing from three perspectives: as a spectator watching surfers from the beach, in the movies and online; as a participant who enters the water and finds a way to the po’ina nalu; and as a literalist, someone who watches weather reports and predicts the surf, promotes surfing, or designs surf boards or clothing.”

According to Kraus, by the end of the term, students should be able to 1) define key terminology used in the interpretation and analysis of surf culture; 2) articulate the relationship between surfing communities and coastal ecosystems; and 3) report on what is of personal, ethical or religious significance in surfing and surf studies by applying Marianist values related to “Education in Family Spirit.”

“This class accentuates my environmental studies, and gives context to the Hawaiian culture and what we read about in texts,” says Yokoyama, who already has a job lined up as an environmental consultant with a Kailua firm. “It teaches you how to apply what you’re learning about surfing to reef health, and how coastal eco-systems interact with surfing as a sport and an industry.”

One of the most famous surf spots in the world, Oahu’s North Shore’s Banzai Pipeline, is the site of one of three of the competitions for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title.

While Chaminade students are able to minor in Surf Studies, other universities now offer fully-fledged bachelor’s degrees in surfing, while a few schools even enroll students in post-graduate programs that focus on surfing.

Dr. Gail Grabowsky, Dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Executive Director U.N. CIFAL Honolulu, believes that there’s a lot of activity related to getting on a board and riding the waves. “Many of the Environmental Studies students love the ocean, and are also very conscious of issues like marine debris and materialism,” says Grabowsky. “There are also some wonderful service opportunities with charitable organizations that really look after the ocean, such as the Surfrider Foundation, which has raised awareness and kept wonderful data.”

Askildson has developed a deep connection with surfing since he first learned the art of riding waves off the shores of Daytona Beach in Florida 25 years ago. His affinity towards the surf has grown even deeper since first moving to Australia and now to Hawai‘i.

“I found the Surf Studies program compelling because it is as much about the history of the Hawaiian culture as it is about the history of surfing,” Askildson asserts. “At Chaminade, we serve the people of Hawai‘i and celebrate the culture that makes our islands both unique and special; this program is a striking articulation of that mission and legacy.”

SPICE Institute Peppered with Data

Monthlong seminar focuses on helping students understand data 

Data science continues to evolve as one of the most promising and in-demand disciplines, and budding data scientists are all too happy to explore the field … one byte at a time. Just ask Rylan Chong, Ph.D., Chaminade’s Data Science Program Director.

“Chaminade received approval in 2018 to launch a Data Science major, which was the first of its kind in Hawaii,” Chong says. “And we had our first cohort of 40-50 students in 2019. Now our classes are practically maxed out each semester.”

This summer, 35 students participated in the Supporting Pacific Indigenous Computing Excellence (SPICE) Data Science Summer Institute—from June 2-30—marking the largest number of participants since SPICE’s inception five years ago. Funded by a National Science Foundation grant, and in partnership with the Texas Advanced Computing Center, SPICE aims to level the playing field for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students, who are woefully underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, and specifically cutting-edge data science.

Of the 35 SPICE Data Science Institute participants, 19 of them were Silverswords.
Of the 35 SPICE program participants, 19 of them were Silverswords.

“We want to advance computing and data for social change and justice,” says Chong, who graduated with a bachelor’s in Computer Science from Chaminade in 2010, and with a doctorate in Information Security from Purdue University of West Lafayette in 2018. “We want to work with our community partners and upscale people’s knowledge about the use of data.”

SPICE participants include 22 undergraduate students from Hawaii, including 19 from Chaminade University. The remaining eight undergraduates hail from the Northern Marianas College (5), Mount Mercy University in Iowa, University of Portland and Guam Community College. Five undergraduate student mentors also were involved.

“Not to sound cliché, but data science is everywhere,” says Biology Assistant Professor Chrystie K. Naeole, Ph.D. “Students get to mesh science with data science, and to look at disparities among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.”

With one of the largest wealth gaps in the nation, high rates of incarceration, and high rates of illness and health disparity, Hawaii has a compelling need to address social justice issues. Students of Hawaiian descent have something they want to fix because they see the inequality every day in their families and their communities, from health and homelessness to the environment and sustainable energy.

Of the 35 SPICE Data Science Institute participants, 19 of them were Silverswords.
Participants collaborated on research projects even during lunch.

“Most people have a passion. Most people care about something significant, something that they have a personal connection to,” says Kelly Gaither, director of Health Analytics at TACC and Associate Professor in Women’s Health at the Dell Medical School. “When you have a personal connection, it’s like a glue. It allows other concepts that you need to stick. In the absence of that glue, students may not realize they’d be happy working in computer science or data science because of the way it’s taught and presented to them.”

Chong believes we already apply data science in our daily routines. We compare prices, for example, when we’re shopping for groceries. We’ll shop at stores that offer better deals. Think of Longs Drugs on a Sunday or Safeway on $5 Fridays. We compare quantity and quality, a generic brand versus brand name.

“You can apply data science to every field—education, healthcare and mental health, environment science and climate change, and criminal justice,” Chong explains. “It’s not just about crunching numbers, but ensuring the numbers reflect different viewpoints and getting those numbers into the right hands.”

A 2022 Chaminade University alumna with a degree in Data Science, Analytics and Visualization and one-time SPICE participant, Zoey Kaneakua is now a data analyst with the Department of the Attorney General’s Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division. And her job: To monitor crime statistics in Hawaii and to share the data with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), an incident-based reporting system in which law enforcement collects data on each crime occurrence.

Zoey Kaneakua '22 at her computer
Zoey Kaneakua ’22 now works for the Department of the Attorney General’s Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division

“That was my first independent research involving juvenile justice,” recalls Kaneakua of her participation in SPICE during her junior year. “And I think I built my first dashboard in three days using Python (a high-level, general-purpose programming language).”

Like Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) of the past, data science was barely mentioned a decade ago in scientific circles. Now it’s everywhere. In the same way that A.I. is an umbrella term for intelligence, Data Science is an umbrella term for insights from data.  Sometimes these two terms appear to be in conflict or competition, but this is not the case. The field of data and machine intelligence is vast and involves everything from understanding data to helping computers learn from the data and solve problems automatically using their learnings. Arguably, both Data Science and A.I. are critical for businesses and maintain a complicated symbiotic relationship.

“The underlying theme of SPICE is about building capacity and learning communities in the Pacific to harness the power of technology and data to address challenges,” Chong says, borrowing from the National Science Foundation’s Harnessing the Data Revolution initiative. “We focus on social aspects, applied ethics and responsibility working with people and data.”

In their final projects, SPICE participants studied various issues, from Indo-Pacific Resilience and Hawaii Biodiversity to Tax and Housing Equity and Health.

“All their projects were based on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” Chong said. “These students upskilled in analytics, research and programming. We also had a lot of firsts this year. To name a few, it included an opportunity to use the TACC supercomputers at the University of Texas at Austin; we had technical directors who joined us in helping on sponsored projects; and three students presented their projects in their preferred or native language that included Spanish, Carolinian and Native Hawaiian.”

People, Planet and Prosperity

Three-day conference sharply focused on issues of sustainability

We can no longer use the NIMBY (not in my backyard) argument when it comes to advancing future projects. We’ve arrived at a hinge moment when solving our biggest problems—from environmental to social—means we need to start saying YIMBY, yes to some things: from solar panels and wind turbines to battery production and lithium extraction to universal basic income and food security. These are challenges for sure, but left unaddressed, the consequences could spell disaster, as discussed during a three-day conference sponsored by Chaminade University’s CIFAL Center of Honolulu.

On the final day of the People, Planet and Prosperity for a Sustainable Future symposium, Dr. Gail Grabowsky addressed the United Nations Institute for Training and Research’s  (UNITAR) Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its corresponding 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which cover a vast range of subjects that impact all of us.

“I’ve been steeped in environmental studies for more than 25 years,” said Grabowsky, Chaminade’s Dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Executive Director of CIFAL Honolulu during her keynote address to attendees. “And a year and a half into establishing CIFAL Honolulu, we’ve brought sustainability into people’s consciousness. And we’ve sponsored more than 50 events.”

The CIFAL Global Network is composed of 32 International Training Centers for Authorities and Leaders, all coordinated by UNITAR’s Social Development Program. The strategic locations of the 32 centers, which can be found across Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, ensure a global outreach. Each CIFAL—a French acronym for Centre International de Formation des Autorités/Acteurs Locaux (International Training Centers for Local Authorities and Local Actors)—outpost provides innovative training and serves as a hub for the exchange of knowledge among government officials, the private sector and civil society. 

Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington with Hawaii Gov. Joshua Greene during the People, Planet and Prosperity Conference.
Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green during the People, Planet and Prosperity Conference.

In his keynote address, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green pledged to generate billions of dollars from philanthropy and outside investment to make Hawaii the first state to become fully reliant on clean energy. It’s a familiar stance that Green has taken since he introduced a slew of major climate policy initiatives earlier this year, including a recommitment to the U.S. Climate Alliance and the establishment of a Climate Advisory Panel.

“We have so many people in this room, find a project that will help Hawaii, help us with health care, help us with the environment,” Green told attendees. “I will bring in investors from across the globe because they are interested in Hawaii, but we will still need to do the job.  Be ready. It should be a dynamic few years.”

The presentations indeed reflected this dynamicism, featuring such diverse topics as “Teaching the Importance of the Ocean to Fight Climate Change,” “The First Statewide Initiative to Connect All Public Universities to Advance PK-12 Climate Literacy, Justice and Action,” “Innovation and Sustainability: The Negative Impact of the Protectionist Leadership Style” and “Food Insecurity.”

“Being part of the UN, we bring awareness to sustainable issues, and train people to get involved and to act on sustainability,” Grabowsky said. “We support economic sustainability in the context of still maintaining an aesthetic environment.”

As the only CIFAL Center in the Pacific, the Chaminade campus is part of a region that includes China, Korea, the Philippines and Australia. The CIFAL Network focuses on topics within four thematic axes: Urban Governance and Planning, Economic Development, Social Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability. Each center is locally managed by a host institution, with UNITAR providing academic content, technical support and quality assurance measures for their training activities. This allows each CIFAL to prioritize action in specific thematic axes, depending on local needs and priorities.

“The basic lesson of the Sustainable Development Goals is that human hopes, human aspirations, human fears are all interconnected,” said United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and executive director for UNITAR, Nikhil Seth, during last November’s “XIX Steering Committee Meeting of The CIFAL Global Network at Chaminade.  “You can’t separate them and follow them in discreet ways. The SDGs are like an umbrella of issues and almost everything you can possibly think of are probably covered in the 17 SDGs.”

And that includes Grabowsky’s pet project, “Pono Popoki Project: Malama Management of Free-Roaming Felines.” “Cats can be good for people’s mental health, which is Goal 3 of the SDGs,” said Grabowsky, pointing to a colorful chart that depicts all the SDGs. “And it also teaches our students biology and wildlife conservation.”

Dreams Come True

Faith Chang ’23 fulfills her lifetime dream

When she walks across the stage during the 65th Commencement, Faith Chang will have achieved one of her lifelong dreams: to earn a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. For the newly minted alumna, the four-year Chaminade experience has only strengthened and bolstered her beliefs in community service and religious faith.

“I’ve always believed in helping the community ever since I was a kid,” says Chang, the 2023 recipient of the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program’s Aloha Spirit Award. “During my freshman year, I participated in a Service Learning opportunity at Kaimuki High School, where I helped high-school students with any of their class projects.”

Having the opportunity to intern while still studying affords college students a chance to build a professional network with industry leaders, and to hone their skills before entering the workforce. Internships also allow the intern to figure out one’s true passion.

For Chang, this meant following a path to seek a position with a nonprofit group, which could utilize what she learned at Chaminade and what she experienced as an intern with Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i.

Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington, left, and Christine and Glenn Hogan congratulate Faith Chang for her 2023 Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s Aloha Spirt Award.
Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington, left, and Christine and Glenn Hogan congratulate Faith Chang for her 2023 Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s Aloha Spirit Award.

“Faith was also an intern with Chaminade University’s Economics Education Center for Excellence (EECE) from 2021-2022,” says EECE director and associate professor, Dr. Guanlin Gao. “During her time there, she identified and adapted over 50 lesson plans in economics, personal finance and Hawaiian history for K-12 teachers. In addition, she presented her lesson plans and shared the resource pool she built with over 30 local public school teachers at the EECE 2022 Summer Workshop, which benefited the teachers and ultimately the next generation.”

During her stint with Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i, Chang interned with the Finance and Operations department, where her financial responsibilities included processing donations and payments, paying vendors, ensuring the monthly financial statements are accurate, and preparing for the annual budget, financial audit and Form 990.

“We rely a lot on our interns,” says Shari Young, Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i’s Director of Finance, who supervised Chang during her internship. “Faith had all the qualifications that we require of our interns, including being an active community member, a willingness to grow and learn, and she possessed the heart for our mission.”

A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicates that the starting salary for college graduates who completed an internship and were employed in a private, for-profit company was $53,521, while those who didn’t complete an internship started with an average of only $38,572. The same study found that 72.2 percent of college graduates with internship experience got a job offer, in contrast to 36.5 percent for those who didn’t complete one. These numbers indicate that pursuing an internship during your college years can add a competitive edge on the side students, increasing their opportunity to get a well-paying job after graduation.

The same held true across industry sectors—nonprofit ($41,876 vs. $31,443), state/local government ($42,693 vs. $32,969), and federal government sectors ($48,750 vs. $42,501).

“I sought the internship to enhance my resume, and gain a better understanding of nonprofit finance operations and expenses,” says Chang who won this year’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s Aloha Spirit Award, which is given to a student who best embodies the spirit of the program. “Another takeaway from this internship was the reward of working with a nonprofit organization, like Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i, which is dedicated to the community, granting wishes and providing little girls and boys a lifetime of joy during a trying stage in their lives.

“I remember this one girl’s wish was to have a playground built in her backyard,” Chang recounts. “And when it was time for the reveal, her reaction and joy made me cry. And I immediately sent the video to my parents. It was just so heartwarming.”

With her expanded skill set, Gao predicts that Chang will continue her journey of making a real-world difference. “She is involved in so many community projects, including Chaminade’s Compassionate Cat Counting project, ‘Inana sustainability program, Earth Day thrift sale, as well as her church service at the Inspire Church conference,” Gao adds. “She has raised funds to sponsor children in Guatemala, as her passion is to make a real-world difference and give back to the community.”

Catholic Schools Recognition Luncheon

The Hawaii Catholic Schools Recognition Ceremony had already started, and St. Anthony School Maui’s Head of School David Kenney and music teacher Julia Golding were stuck on the tarmac at Kahului Airport. Unbeknownst to Golding, she was to be one of the luncheon’s guests of honor, and announced as the Hawaii Catholic Schools’ 2023 Teacher of the Year.

“It was a comedy of errors,” said Golding, referring to the hours-long delay at the Kahului Airport, which jeopardized her attending the luncheon. “Our first scheduled flight was cancelled because the plane that was supposed to come from Oahu never arrived. So, we got on another flight and that was delayed because of a medical emergency, which further delayed our arrival on Oahu because we lost the window of time to get to the Honolulu airport gate.”

St. Anthony School Maui’s music teacher Julia Golding with her Golden Pineapple.

Since 2019, Chaminade University and the Hawaii Catholic Schools have added an island twist to the national Golden Apple Awards, renaming it—fittingly—the Golden Pineapple Awards. “The Teacher and Administrator of the Year event would not be possible if it were not for our strong relationship with Chaminade,” said Llewellyn Young, Ph.D., superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools. “Chaminade is a Hawaii Catholic School, and we are tremendously grateful and blessed to have them as part of our Catholic schools ‘ohana.”

According to School of Education and Behavioral Sciences Dean, Dale Fryxell, Ph.D., nominations for Teacher and Administrator of the Year can be submitted by a fellow teacher or an administrator, and parent or student. A panel comprised of Chaminade and Hawaii Catholic Schools representatives then review the candidates on the following criteria:

1.  How the nominee has made a difference in the life of a student(s).

2. The nominee’s accomplishments as they relate to leadership.

3. The nominee’s accomplishments as they relate to service to the school and community.

4.The nominee’s accomplishments as they relate to spiritual development.

“Today’s winners exemplify everything that these awards stand for—a celebration of the impact teachers and administrators have on the lives of their students,” Fryxell said. “Their commitment to their students and to their Catholic faith are admirable, and certainly warrant recognition.”

In her address to the group of Hawai’i Catholic educators, Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington discussed the challenges that our K-12 education system faces, and how Catholic education, with its unique position, can effectively address many of these challenges.

One of the main challenges Babington identified was the emphasis on standardized testing, which can often lead to a narrow curriculum that neglects critical thinking, creativity and character development.

“Catholic education can offer an alternative approach by fostering a holistic education that values the whole person,” Babington said. “Catholic schools emphasize the development of character, moral values and social responsibility alongside academic excellence. By instilling these values in students, Catholic education prepares them not only for academic success but also for a meaningful and fulfilling life.”

Golding said she imparts three key values to her students: faith, respect of self and each other, and gratitude. “If you don’t have a deep sense of faith, you don’t have that central character,” said the Australian native, who has taught at St. Anthony’s for the past two years. “I try to instill in my students that where they live and where they go to school are privileges.”

Kenney described Golding as thoughtful and insightful, and an incredible support to him and the entire administrative team. “Julia has made a tremendous impact and has initiated multiple programs, including the return of musical theater to the school for the first time in many years,” he said. “Additionally, the plays she has chosen allow for all of our students—young and old—to participate together, underscoring our charism and focus on unity and ‘ohana. We are truly blessed to have her as part of our ‘ohana.”

Drs. Dale Fryxell and Chaminade President Lynn Babington, along with superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools, Dr. Llewelynn Young, far right, present Hawaii Catholic Schools’ Adminstrator of the Year to Margaret Rufo from Mary, Star of the Sea School.

This year’s Catholic Schools Administrator of the Year went to Margaret Rufo from Mary, Star of the Sea School. A dedicated and passionate administrator who has made a significant impact on her school community, Rufo regularly interacts with the students, even making herself available for one-on-one chats during lunch and recess. She’s also deeply involved in school events, such as International Day and the 24 Math Challenge Day.

“She is engaged in all aspects of the school, whether it’s a school dance, a basketball game, a parent meeting, an international festival or a poinsettia sale—she is there,” said Fryxell in announcing Rufo as this year’s Administrator of the Year. “In addition to her focus on academic achievement, Margaret also excels as a leader, serving as a role model for her staff and working tirelessly to create a supportive and collaborative environment.”

In her closing remarks, Babington congratulated Golding and Rufo, acknowledging their commitment to educating young people in the Catholic tradition.

“I commend you for the good work you do for these K-12 students,” Babington concluded. “You prepare them to be productive members of society, and to be successful in furthering their academic journeys through higher education.”