For his exemplary work while enrolled in Chaminade University’s Master of Education program – and the impact he’s expected to make on Hawaii schools – Derek Santos ‘16 has become the second annual recipient of the Kathy Kawaguchi Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership.
Santos, a vice principal at Ewa Beach Elementary School, said he was surprised and humbled to receive the recognition from Chaminade Division of Education faculty.
“Kathy Kawaguchi embodied the instructional leader, something I strive for each day when working as an administrator,” Santos said. “Each day I work to not only teach my students and staff about integrity and being lifelong learners, but I also teach to the heart with empathy through the relationships I build.”
The award honors the memory of Kawaguchi, Chaminade’s former Director of Leadership and Educational Projects. The Hilo native, who passed away in 2016, also had a long career with the Hawaii State Department of Education.
Chaminade’s Master of Education program offers concentrations in Educational Leadership, which prepares candidates for administrative positions with an emphasis on K-12 schools; Instructional Leadership,which provides advanced knowledge of classroom practices for teachers and other educators not currently aspiring to become administrators; and Child Development, which offers advanced study of developmental theory, research and application.
