Hawaii State Teachers Association has honored Chayanee Brooks, a Ka‘u High English teacher, with its 2025 Pono Award and ‘aina-based Puna educator Nick Kalamakani Francisco with its 2025 Friend of Youth Award.
HSTA gave out the awards Saturday, April 12, at its 52nd annual State Convention at McKinley High on Oahu.
The Pono Award is given to an exceptional member of the union who takes action in the pursuit of social justice, according to an HSTA press release. The honoree is not just an advocate but embodies the true meaning of “pono” — righteousness, fairness, and balance — by addressing critical issues that impact lives beyond the classroom.
Brooks has dedicated her work to creating safe and expressive spaces for students, ensuring they have a voice and a platform to share their stories.
“My philosophy as an educator is simple: Empower students to connect with their community and their own potential through storytelling,” Brooks said during her acceptance speech.
Many of Brooks’ students come from Ka‘u, a remote part of the island far from service economies and economic opportunity. However, therein lies the opportunity Brooks discovered.
“Hearing my students talk about their challenges, I approach these things not as limitations, but rather as opportunities for growth,” she said.
Francisco was honored with HSTA’s Friend of Youth Award, which recognizes an outstanding individual who is not an HSTA member whose work has had a lasting impact on Hawaii’s young people.
As an ‘aina-based educator, Francisco dedicates his time and service to empowering and uplifting youth through meaningful, community-based initiatives.
“It’s called papa kalai‘aina, because we’re teaching the ‘ohana (family members) and the keiki (kids) to grow kalo (taro),” Francisco said. “I teach them how to grow in Puna’s rocky environment, grow food literally in rocks, and there’s a mahi‘ai (farming) component.
“Then, we also teach the kids how to carve by hand. At the end of the school year, they’ll harvest the kalo they planted and pound it on the boards and stones they carved by hand.”
