UH Hilo alumna receives nation’s highest STEM teaching award
Whitney Aragaki, who teaches at Waiākea High School, is named among six public school teachers in Hawaiʻi to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
An alumna of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo graduate program in conservation biology and environmental science has received the nation’s highest award that a science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States.
Whitney Aragaki, who teaches at Waiākea High School, Hilo, is named among six public school teachers in Hawaiʻi to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. They are among 336 teachers and mentors from across the country who were nominated by their principals, teachers, parents, students or members of the general public for serving as role models to their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of STEM education.
The award was granted in 2021 but the announcement was delayed by the White House until this week when three years of awardees were announced at once.
“The Presidential Award affirms that the definition of success in science is expanding,” says Aragaki who currently teaches 10th-12th grade biology and advanced placement environmental science. “Let us empower all students to not only imagine but create, question, and empathize with a world that allows their intelligence and worldview to be honored.”
“We must ensure that our students see themselves represented in the curriculum and that our teaching reflects our place and our people,” she adds. “Let us continue to help our students to serve the communities that help them thrive.”
Aragaki, who recently earned a doctor of philosophy with a focus in curriculum and instruction from UH Mānoa, teaches high school science at Waiākea using cultural and place-based activities to engage students. She also works to provide equitable access to environmental science and computer science courses statewide.
In recognition for her outstanding teaching, Aragaki was the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year and a 2022 National Teacher of the Year finalist.
Presidential Awardees receive a certificate signed by President Joe Biden, a trip to Washington D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
Awardees also join an active network of outstanding educators from throughout the nation. Since 1983, more than 5,500 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. Awardees reflect the expertise and dedication of the nation’s teaching corps, and they demonstrate the positive impact of excellent teachers on student achievement.
By Susan Enright, a public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.
