 HTA faculty and staff are honored to celebrate HTA's first retiree - Mr. Dennis Imoto. We would like to thank Dennis for his years of service to HTA. We wish you a happy, action-packed retirement, Dennis!
May the fun begin!
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 Tell the HTA Ohana a little bit about yourself, Tina: I was born and raised in western New York state. I traveled and lived overseas for several years as a young adult before eventually settling in San Francisco, where I remained until about eight years ago, when a job opportunity for my spouse brought us to the island of Hawaiʻi. Will you share a bit about your academic background? I graduated from New College of California with a B.A. in Humanities, then earned a teaching credential in elementary education from San Francisco State University. I later went on to earn an M.Ed. in Curriculum Studies from the University of Montana. What made you interested in teaching? My own experiences as a student in a traditional classroom environment throughout K-12 were unremarkable, unchallenging, and uninspiring. Even as a young child, I remember feeling that there must be a better way to teach and to learn, and I think that was what set me on the path toward teaching. What is your first memory associated with teaching? The mixed emotions of excitement and terror in the minutes before that very first day of school in my first classroom working as a teacher. No amount of training or advance preparation could quite prepare me enough to feel that I was truly ready and that this wasn’t going to be a complete disaster. What do you find most challenging and rewarding about being a teacher? In my current position, the greatest challenge is trying to juggle multiple grade levels and attempt to adequately meet the wide range of needs of all my students. What I find most rewarding is when I see students surprise themselves as they discover they are capable of accomplishing what they thought they couldn’t do. Favorite Five: Hobby? Outrigger canoe paddling Song? Love’s in Need of Love Today (Stevie Wonder) Book? Tender at the Bone (Ruth Reichl) Travel Destination? Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, Indonesia (one of few remaining habitats for wild orangutans) Quote? “The cure for anything is salt water—sweat, tears, or the sea.” ~Isak Dinesen If you were to summarize “YOU” in only one sentence, what would that sentence be? I have the heart of an idealist and the mind of a pragmatist. At HTA, students like 12th-grader, Royce, have the flexibility to focus on following their passions. For Royce, this means music production. Check out his latest mix here. Explore our website to learn more about how HTA’s blended learning program allows students the flexibility to pursue their passions.   Tell the HTA Ohana a little bit about yourself, Traci:
I am married to Ben Sullivan. I have three children, Emily, Luke, and Nate. We have a dog, a cat, and a fish. My daughter is a senior in high school getting ready for college, and my boys attend HTA. My family is very busy with soccer practice, mock trial, robotics, boy scouts, surfing, video games, volunteering, and science (yes, we all love science!) What is your role at Hawaii Technology Academy? I teach math and science at HTA. My home base is on Kauai, but I am lucky to work with students in Kona too. In my spare time, I coach robotics. Our HTA robotics team was amazing this year! Next year, I would like to start a science olympiad team! Will you share a bit about your academic background? My academic life started ramping up in 7th grade when my math teacher, Mr. Bromley, noticed that I was pretty good at math. He moved me to the algebra I class which empowered me as a student. I went to Fort Collins High School, in Fort Collins, Colorado, where I continued to study math. It was in high school that Mrs. Patterson introduced me to general biology, genetics, and anatomy and physiology. I was so hooked on science, I continued my studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder. I earned degrees in Environmental Biology and Education. What made you interested in teaching? When I started school at the University of Colorado, I was a pre-med student. I really, really wanted to be a doctor. So, I studied. My classes were engaging, and I had amazing professors. It wasn’t long before I met my soon to be husband, and I realized that I wanted to get married and start a family. Suddenly, my goal of becoming a doctor didn’t seem as important. I spent some time reevaluating what I wanted, and I realized that one of the reasons I was a successful student was because I loved school. I loved learning new things. I loved figuring things out. In addition, I had Mr. Bromley and Mrs. Patterson and many other great teachers and professors in my life. Looking back now, it seems obvious that I was going to be a teacher from the very beginning. What is your first memory associated with teaching? My first memory associated with teaching….this is a difficult question. I have so many memories. At Boulder High School, one of my students wrote a beautiful song about photosynthesis. This was 25 years ago and I still remember the tune! I built a hovercraft to teach Newton’s Laws to Kalaheo Elementary students. The students got to ride on it; that was fun. These same students made liquid nitrogen ice cream to investigate matter and phase change. My middle school students at Kapaa Middle School used to host family science nights where they taught their parents the science they were learning. I have traveled with students to Robotics, Science Olympiad, and Mock Trial competitions. The traveling was awesome, but watching the students work together, solve problems, present ideas, argue the law (in the Hawaii Supreme Court!), and win awards have been highlights of my teaching career. And, just this year, Stephen and Ben took some great photographs of cells under the microscope, Logan did “real science” when he transformed bacteria, and Rachel dissected a pig like a pro. Nicholas stumped me with his ideas about the 4th dimension, Kilinoe showed inspiring grit, and the Kauai and Kona algebra I students used linear equations to investigate gas station rip offs. Fantastic! I could go on all day... What do you find most challenging and rewarding about being a teacher? The most challenging thing about teaching for me is the fact that I am limited by the number of hours in the day. There are so many things I want to do, and finding time to fit everything in is challenging. The most rewarding thing is the students. There is nothing better than hanging out with students all day; especially when I get to see them learn something new. Favorite Five: Hobby? Rollerblading Music? I love Simon and Garfunkel, Bonnie Raitt, Salt n Pepa, James Taylor, Maroon 5, Queen, U2, Prince, John Mayer, and Eminem. Pretty much anything. Book? To Kill a Mockingbird, Pillars of the Earth, Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack, The Sixth Extinction, Your Inner Fish, A Brief History of Nearly Everything, and The Selfish Gene. Travel Destination? Paris! Quote? “We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.” EO Wilson. If you were to summarize “YOU” in only one sentence, what would that sentence be? I really do like to solve for x; I think it’s fun.  Check out our Kauai Robotics students in the news. Congratulations, team! You are awesome!
 Tell the HTA Ohana a little bit about yourself, Brian: I am originally from Pennsylvania. I moved to Hawaii in 2001. I met my amazing wife Monica here on Oahu only to find out later she was also from Pennsylvania, so when people ask “Did you marry a local girl?” I can say, yes, just not Hawaiian Local:) Monica and I started dating 2/2/2 and we got married on 7/7/7. I think she planned this just so I wouldn’t forget the dates! We have 3 incredible daughters: Brooke is in 4th grade, Makenzie is in 2nd grade, and Allison is in preschool. I love teaching and living in Hawaii. Perhaps when I get tan I might think about living somewhere else:)
Can you share a bit about your academic background? I earned my Bachelor’s degree from East Stroudsburg University in PA and my Masters degree from the University of Hawaii. What made you interested in teaching? I am from a huge family. My Mom is the oldest of 10 children, and I am the oldest Grandchild, so growing up I had a ridiculous amount of cousins. When I started college I didn’t know what I wanted to do. After my first semester at school, my Aunt Eileen said to me “You really have fun with all your cousins, why don’t you take some teaching classes. The rest is history! What is your first memory associated with teaching? My first year teaching in Hawaii, I taught 4th grade. That is the year students are taught Hawaiian studies along with their other subjects, but I couldn’t even say the name of the street I lived on! How was I supposed to teach Hawaiian studies? The first two weeks were rough, and I noticed the teacher next to me, Mrs. Matsumoto, was teaching her kids how to play the ukulele. I felt bad for my kids. I felt like they were getting ripped off, so I came up with an idea. Mrs. Matsumoto was getting ready to retire and was not a huge fan of Physical Education, so I proposed that she teach my kids Hawaiian Studies, and I would teach her kids PE. She loved the idea, and I realized that networking with your peers is awesome! What do you find most challenging and rewarding about being a teacher? I really enjoy working with students. I appreciate the struggle they go through and you can’t buy the feeling I get when students finally understand something, even shouting out “I GET IT!” The biggest challenge is the students who say “I don’t get it,” but never harass me until they understand it. Favorite Five: Hobby? I do a lot of mental whittling. Song? Major Lazer- Light It Up (favorite right now) Book? Words scare me, but I just got Blue Ocean Strategy Travel Destination? Anywhere I could swim with a whale shark. Quote? Of all the people I know...you are one of them. If you were to summarize “YOU” in only one sentence, what would that sentence be? If you are around me, we will be laughing! Is there anything else you would like the HTA Ohana to know about you? This is my real hair.  I’ve been a student at HTA since 5th grade, and I can honestly say that HTA has made a difference in my life. During my junior year Advisory, we had these projects called “Genius Hour” projects. The point of the Genius Hour projects was to encourage students to explore their passion and interests, so for my project I decided to learn how to make a beat. When I first started, I had no idea what to do. I didn’t know where to start. However I researched and watched videos and taught myself how to make a song. I didn’t even know how to make a basic chord at the time!
When I think of character, I think about how a person might handle certain difficult situations or how a person reacts to challenges. HTA has helped me build character by teaching me more about responsibility and perseverance through projects like the Genius Hour project. Since HTA has a lot of flexibility built in, it could be easy fall behind but it is also easy to catch up again because our teachers are committed and really want to teach students rather than just going through the motions. I can tell they care deeply for their student and hope to make an impact on their lives. A lot of the things that my teachers have taught me can be applied to real life. Mr. Glasser and Mr. Carvalho have really taught me that we won’t always get second chances, so I need to do my very best on the first try. Another one of my teachers Mr. Weida taught me the importance of time management and understanding what is really important in life. My parents are so happy that I am an HTA student. I know they have peace of mind because they know I am growing academically and growing personally, too. After graduating from HTA, I envision myself going to college for music producing. I am a little scared going into this new part of my life but I do feel confident because I know that HTA has done a good job preparing me for college and independence.  Tell the HTA Ohana a little bit about yourself, Kristie: My husband and I have known each other since 9th grade, and have been married for 14 years. I have two boys, Zandyr (11) and Ayden (9), a dog named Duke and a cat named Gizmo. We have lived on Maui for 10 years, and are eagerly awaiting the completion of our brand new home which should be done in June. We love playing at the beach, in the water, running, hiking, and adventuring together.
Can you share a bit about your academic background? I started college as a pre-med student when I was a high school junior. I completed my associate's degree in general sciences with a focus in pre-med right after I graduated from High School, I was accepted to the University of Washington School of Medicine. I wasn’t excited, and I decided to change my mind and attended Pacific Lutheran University for Political Science. I ended up majoring in Secondary Education, with minors in History, English, and Visual Arts. I went straight into a Master of Education program at the University of Washington. I continued on with schooling, completing my Educational Specialist Degree in the area of Teacher Leadership from Walden University. What made you interested in teaching? To be honest, I decided to become a teacher because I hated high school. I was just another face in the crowd and was constantly dismissed because I came from a single parent family. Granted I was a bit of a punk kid and tried my best to stand out, but regardless of my grades or brightly dyed hair, I was still invisible. I made the decision to start teaching because I wanted to make sure that young people knew they were valued and could honestly make a difference, regardless of their background, their family, or where they came from. What is your first memory associated with teaching? I was a very ambitious new teacher, spending hours upon hours in the classroom. One of my first memories was spending the entire weekend decorating my classroom as an ‘Indian’ Marketplace. The outside door to the classroom was decorated like the Taj Mahal and students entered a large butcher paper archway into the classroom, where they were greeted with extravagant pillows, Indian decor, souvenirs, pictures of famous people, and a station to read about The Untouchables. I was so excited Monday morning for my 9th-grade students to come and ‘experience’ India. However, they hated it! As soon as they saw my room they started grumbling - I had other students shutting down. I realized that day that it didn’t matter how excited I was about something. I needed the students to be excited and to ‘own’ their learning experiences. It was a heartbreaking, but rewarding experience. What do you find most challenging and rewarding about being a teacher? I care about my students - every single one of them. I work really hard to build relationships with them the first couple weeks of school, and I have found that this is rewarding and also challenging. I know that through relationships and trust I can get students to dig deeper into content, take risks with their learning, and make mistakes. It also helps me to be my sarcastic self with them because they know that I only pick on them because I care. Some relationships are forged more quickly than others; however, at the end seeing my students reach their goals, graduate, or attain other accomplishments along the way makes the stressful moments worth it. Favorite Five: Hobby? Lifting Heavy Things Song? This is Halloween Book? Classic Tales of Horror Travel Destination? Maui :) Quote? If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough. If you were to summarize “YOU” in only one sentence, what would that sentence be? I thrive in chaos.  Tell the HTA Ohana a little bit about yourself, Jessica: I was born and raised on the North Shore of O`ahu and currently live in Kahuku. In my free time I enjoy going to the beach, yoga, running, volunteering with community service projects and serving on several community boards. I also spend time working with my husband, Hilton, who is a professional artist, raising my son Deco, and playing with my dog Kia. Can you share a bit about your academic background? I received my B.A. in Political Science and a Women's Studies Certificate from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and my M.A. in Secondary Social Studies from the University of Phoenix. It was through my master’s program at the University of Phoenix where I was first introduced to blended learning and educational technology. I taught all of the History subjects at Kalaheo High School before joining HTA in 2012. Prior to teaching at Kalaheo from 2008 to 2012, I was a Substitute Teacher at various public high and middle schools here on O`ahu for several years. I am N.C.L.B. Highly Qualified in Social Studies and a Google Certified Educator for Levels I and II. I am especially grateful for the years of experience I have teaching at HTA, which have provided me with some of the most enriching and “game changing” professional development experiences I’ve ever had. What made you interested in teaching?I only knew that I wanted to make a positive difference in the world growing up and, after dabbling in teaching as a substitute teacher, I knew that this was my path towards doing so. What is your first memory associated with teaching? I remember the first time I stepped into a classroom as a substitute teacher for a Special Education Art class. I was not provided with a lesson plan, so I came up with one that had students express emotion through artistic expression. I got the impression that that was exactly what some of them needed in their lives at that moment. Seeing the small impact that one unscripted lesson had on the students got me hooked on teaching. What do you find most challenging and rewarding about being a teacher? The most challenging thing about teaching is never being/feeling completely satisfied or done. The most rewarding thing is working with the students. They make all of the hard work worth it. Favorite Five: Hobby? Motherhood. Song? Upside Down - Jack Johnson Book? Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport Travel Destination? Brazil Quote? “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” - Nelson Mandela If you were to summarize “YOU” in only one sentence, what would that sentence be? My heart smiles when people show kindness, love and compassion towards other living beings and the earth, and I feel the weight on my shoulders when they do not. AuthorErika Jordan Aloha HTA ‘Ohana:
On behalf of the faculty and administration at HTA, we welcome you to the 2017-2018 school year. Hawaii Technology Academy strives to empower students to succeed through our blended learning experience – face-to-face, virtual and independent. We are confident that blended learning offers students at all grade levels the opportunity to find personal, academic and social growth through an innovative approach to teaching and learning. One that centers around the 5 C’s of 21st Century Learning for our Core Values:
This year, we focus on the “C” of Character. At a unique school like HTA, students, teachers and parents all partner together in the education of our children. The way we demonstrate character in our daily activities and interactions greatly impacts the success of our learning community. By focusing on character as we educate our students, every assignment and every interaction opens up the opportunity to build and shape the future, not only for our students but also the larger community of the State of Hawaii. It is in that process of building and demonstrating character that we collectively bring HTA’s vision to life - the vision of being “a community embracing the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.” It takes strength of character on the part of every member of our community - teachers, staff members, Learning Coaches, and students - to ensure that HTA is a place where students are empowered to succeed on a social, emotional and academic level. An investment in the character of each and every student at HTA is truly an investment in our future. We look forward to the character building opportunities that await our community in the 2017-2018 school year and thank you for joining our ‘ohana. With Aloha~ Leigh Fitzgerald Executive Director |
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