The Pacific Educational Conference (PEC) will celebrate its 25th anniversary July 14–17, 2008, in American Samoa. Cohosted this year by the American Samoa Department of Education, American Samoa Community College, and Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), the PEC is one of the largest gatherings of educators in the Pacific region. A highlight of the PEC is the honoring of the Pacific Teachers of the Year (TOYs).
The Pacific Teachers of the Year recognition program, sponsored by Pacific corporate partners Continental Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt International Publishers, and PREL, is a conference tradition that began in 1996. This program provides an opportunity for outstanding teachers from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Yap), Guam, Hawai‘i, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau to attend the 3-day conference. The TOYs are honored at a reception with their chief state school officers (CSSOs), traditional chiefs, government officials, and other dignitaries. They are introduced by their respective CSSO and receive gifts of educational materials. The opening general session of the PEC is their moment, as the outstanding teachers are recognized by all conference attendees. At the PEC, the TOYs not only pursue their own professional development, but also share their successful teaching strategies with other conference attendees. In their workshops at the PEC, the TOYs share “what works” in their classrooms, from lesson plans to instructional strategies in the Teacher of the Year presentations.
The 2008 Pacific Teachers of the Year are as follows:
Mr. Ron Canos, Simon A. Sanchez High School, Guam. Canos has been a teacher for 10 years and currently teaches art in grades 9–12.
Ms. Raisa Chiwi, Weno High School, Chuuk, the Federated States of Micronesia. Chiwi has been a teacher for 3 years and currently teaches English reading and English writing in grades 9, 10, and 12.
Ms. Pelsihner Elias, Madolenihmw High School, Pohnpei, the Federated States of Micronesia. Elias has been a teacher for 1 year and currently teaches algebra I in grade 10.
Ms. Patricia Fuiava, Manu‘a High School, American Samoa. Fuiava has been a teacher for 13 years and currently teaches English in grades 9–12.
Ms. RosaLynne Florendo, Koror Elementary School, Republic of Palau. Florendo has been a teacher for 9 years and currently teaches math, English, Palauan studies, social studies, science, and health in grades 3–5.
Mr. Andrew Golden, Saipan Southern High School, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Golden has been a teacher for 5 years and currently teaches physics and chemistry in grades 10–12.
Mr. Damian Jetnil, Assumption Elementary School, the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Jetnil has been a teacher for 9 years and currently teaches all subjects in grades 1 and 4.
Mrs. Pascale Creek Pinner, Hilo Intermediate School, Hawai‘i. Pinner has been a teacher for 21 years and currently teaches earth & space science as well as gifted & talented science in grade 8.
Mr. Dominic Tachielig, Ifalik Community School, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. Tachielig has been a teacher for 18 years and currently teaches all subjects in grades 5–9.
Mr. Annang Welly, Sansrik Elementary School, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. Welly has been a teacher for 8 years and currently teaches math and social studies in grades 7–9.
Along with the Pacific partners of the TOY program, the PEC attendees and their individual communities, PREL would like to congratulate these exemplary teachers and wish them continued great success in their work on behalf of Pacific children.
To learn more about the PEC, please visit PREL’s website at http://www.prel.org/pec.aspx.
PREL is an independent, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) corporation that serves the educational community in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific, the continental United States, and countries throughout the world. PREL bridges the gap between research, theory, and practice in education and works collaboratively with schools and school systems to provide services that range from curriculum development to assessment and evaluation. In addition, PREL administers the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Pacific, 1 of 10 Regional Educational Laboratories funded through the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education. With a commitment to ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to develop a strong academic foundation, regardless of circumstances or geographic location, PREL has service centers in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap), Guam, Hawai‘i, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau.
For additional information about this media release or PREL and its work, please contact Javier Elizondo, Director of Communications, by telephone at (808) 441-1300 or by email at elizondoj@prel.org, or visit our website at www.prel.org.
(Posted Thursday, February 12, 2009)
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