Two UH Hilo alumnae named 2026 top state teachers
J. Elise Hannigan was named the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year, and Claire Ann Kalaunuola Domingo was honored as the 2026 Hawaiʻi Charter School Teacher of the Year.
Two University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo alumnae have earned the state’s highest accolades for teaching. J. Elise Hannigan was named the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year, and Claire Ann Kalaunuola Domingo was honored as the 2026 Hawaiʻi Charter School Teacher of the Year.
Teacher of the Year: J. Elise Hannigan
Keaʻau High School educator Hannigan (Teaching Certificate ʻ13, MEd ʻ21) was named the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year, earning top recognition among more than 13,000 educators statewide.
“Little-kid me would never have believed this was possible,” says Hannigan. “More than anything, it shows that with hard work — and the support of people around you — amazing things are possible.”
Hannigan has spent 13 years at Keaʻau High, first as an English teacher and now as the freshman academy coordinator. DOE officials and colleagues say her leadership has transformed the campus experience — reviving the school’s Summer Bridge program, mentoring seniors who guide incoming students, and helping Keaʻau earn national certification as a Model Academy.
“With teaching, of course, there are good days and bad days — but there is never a time when I feel like I’m in the wrong place or doing the wrong thing,” she says.
Charter School Teacher of the Year: Claire Ann Kalaunuola Domingo
Domingo (BA Hawaiian Studies ʻ97, Teaching Certificate from Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Program ʻ99) was honored as the 2026 Hawaiʻi Charter School Teacher of the Year. Domingo has worked at Ke Kula ʻo Samuel M. Kamakau LPCS for the past 25 years.
She says to this day the school’s nuʻukia or vision — “E mālama ʻia ana ka mauli ola o kākou mai kēlā hanauna a i kēia hanauna (Our spirit of being is nurtured from generation to generation)” — guides her teaching practice.
Each day begins with kilo (careful observation of the natural world) as students count lehua blossoms or feed the school’s goats — a practice she says helps her kindergartners recognize their own development.
“I would like my students to love learning — in school, with their families, everywhere,” Domingo says.
UH Hilo’s lasting impact
Both Hannigan and Domingo credit UH Hilo’s unique combination of being able to offer a world-class education with personal connections that provide ongoing support for their success.
“All the beautiful relationships I made at UH Hilo have continued throughout my career wherever I have gone,” says Domingo.
Hannigan agrees, saying the strong foundation she built at UH Hilo has empowered her to serve her school and community.
“One of the things that I love about UH is that the connections last forever. We still talk, we still check in with each other, we have each other’s resources available to our students,” says Hannigan. “I’m really appreciative of that.”
Hannigan will represent Hawaiʻi in the National Teacher of the Year program in Washington, D.C., next spring.
See full story at Kūkala Nūhou.
