Esther Amano is more than a teacher.
During her more than 35 years at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Pearl City, she has also served as a mentor, a guide and a “quiet force of grace and strength,” said Chaminade Dean of Education and Behavioral Sciences Dale Fryxell, Ph.D.
At a recent celebration, Amano was named Hawai’i Catholic Schools Educator of the Year and presented with the Golden Pineapple Award for her outstanding contributions to teaching, her years of service and an unwavering commitment to seeing her students excel.
“Her classroom has launched leaders, nurtured faith, and shaped lives far beyond the eighth grade,” Fryxell said, at the awards ceremony. “Former students return—years later—to thank her, hug her, and tell her what we already know: That her impact lasts a lifetime.”
Nominations for Amano poured in, with colleagues, parents, administrators and former students all attesting to her gift for inspiring the next generation of leaders. “Miss Amano shines as a beacon of inspiration within our school community,” one former student wrote.
Fryxell noted Amano is the first to arrive at school each morning and the last to leave each day.
“Whether she’s leading class Masses, mentoring new teachers, or writing cards for every staff birthday, Esther Amano lives the mission of Catholic education in every quiet, faithful action,” he said. “She has empowered her students to raise their voices through poetry, supported school service projects with heart, and modeled a leadership that lifts her school community.”
Also at the ceremony, Sister Katherine-Francis Miller ’63 was recognized as the Hawaii Catholic Schools Administrator of the Year. As Fryxell noted, she has “shaped the hearts, minds and spirits of generations of young women” at Sacred Hearts Academy for nearly six decades.
Miller, campus minister and director of the Office of Mission at Sacred Hearts Academy, was applauded for her transformative leadership and her caring approach to growth.
“Whether she’s leading a mission trip to the Philippines, organizing students to serve food at a transitional shelter, or helping a young person navigate their spiritual journey, Sister Katherine-Francis leads with compassion, humility, and the deep joy of someone truly rooted in her vocation,” Fryxell said.
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And her work extends into the community in many forms, including by leading prison ministry efforts with fellow Sisters, organizing mission trips to the Philippines, and working with students in Sacred Hearts’ Outreach, Unity and Renewal Club as they serve food at a housing shelter.
The Golden Pineapple Awards are sponsored by Chaminade University, Hawaii Catholic Schools with the support of John C. and Mary Lou Brogan.
Nominations open annually and recipients receive a trophy and cash award.
