The Presidential Award has been has been an exciting and challenging journey within my career as a science and mathematics teacher. This award has motivated me to expand and develop my skills as a classroom teacher and to continually adapt my lesson plans to be more closely aligned with the state and national standards for science. Through this process, I have been reminded that my own personal educational journey has only just begun. I am excited to see where my journey will lead me next!

Masaru Uchino Pearl City, HI | K-6, Science, 2016

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Masaru Uchino has been an educator for 11 years, spending that time teaching third grade at Momilani Elementary School. He teaches mathematics, science, social studies, and physical education. In the classroom, Masaru uses a variety of hands-on projects, and group work experiments to help promote a deeper sense of learning within a community. His students can be seen doing a wide range of activities, both in and out of the classroom, ranging from experiments using plants and plant materials, to creating architectural models of solar powered lighting units for a theoretical office space. Masaru was recently recognized with the Milken Educator Award for the 2016-2017 school year. He was also named the 2015 Leeward District Teacher of the Year. As a member of the National Science Teachers Association, he is continually striving to better align his classroom curriculum with the newly adopted Next Generation Science Standards and plans to strive for continued excellence in teaching in Hawaii. Masaru earned a B.A. in social studies from the University of California, Irvine, and a M.A. in educational technology from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. He is certified in kindergarten through sixth grade elementary education.

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