The Sevia Ma’ae Educator Awards 2021
The awards are named after the late Sevia Ma’ae, who was a Gifted and Talented Education Teacher in the Lynwood Unified School District and a Founding NPIEN Board Member. 56 educators have been recognized since 2001 for their support of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students in the classroom.
Jenny Gildon, Counselor at Lakewood High School, Long Beach Unified School District in California, has nominated many students at Lakewood High School for the Christina Diaz Scholars Awards. She is the College and Career Specialist and Scholarship Coordinator. We appreciate her special concern for our Pacific Islander students.
First Sergeant Otto Harrington, recently retired as a JROTC and Physical Education Teacher at Roosevelt High School for 12 years and 5 years at Franklin High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, for a total of 17 years. He now lives in South Carolina. We appreciate your service to our nation and to the young people.
Delilah Samson, Teacher, Dominguez High School, Compton Unified School District, Jenny Santamaria, Counselor, Will Rogers Middle School, Lawndale School District, and Lourdes Talamantes, Counselor, Paramount High School were unable to attend but expressed gratitude for their awards.
Carvell Holloway, Band Director at Dominguez High School in the Compton Unified School District. Prior to working at Dominguez he was at Davis Middle School. He has always provided support with the school band and his individual music talent, during the Pacific Islander student programs at Dominguez and Davis. He has also volunteered much of his time to ensure that success of Dominguez High School’s Asian/Pacific Islander Month program.
Maria Lara has been a great support during her time at Davis Middle School in the Compton School District with the Pacific Islander and Asian Club. She has also worked in the classroom at Davis helping the students with their academic needs. She is now working for the Long Beach Unified School District, yet she continues to support the Pacific Islander Students at Dominguez High School, her alma matter.
The Dr. Alofa Tanuvasa Community Awards 2021
The Awards are named after the late Dr. Alofa Tanuvasa, who was an elementary school teacher in the Compton Unified School District, and one who promoted involvement as a teacher in various community events and activities, and he was a Founding NPIEN Board Member along with his wife Freda. He earned his doctoral degree from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1984 at a time when few Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) held a doctoral degree in education and inspired Dr. Thompson, NPIEN Executive Director, who earned his bachelor’s degree at the same 1984 graduation at BYU, to earn his doctorate. 58 community members and organizations have received this award since 2001.
Donna Tang, Equity Director has always included NPIEN as one of the community-based organizations on her equity task force and we are known by all the leading organizations in the Asian and Pacific Islander community because of Donna. We appreciate how Donna has always been inclusive in inviting NPIEN to her meetings and her sincere interest in and support for the NHPI community.
Tavae Samuelu, Executive Director, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) has included NPIEN on a variety of Asian and Pacific Islander community committees and is often the only other Pacific Islander organization in the room. Tavae sought us out to provide input for the Stop AAPI Hate initiative.
Long Beach Wilson High School Pacific Islander Club, Long Beach Unified School District and Gahr High School Pacific Islander Club, ABC Unified School District are not present today, but NPIEN wanted to recognize their active presence on social media during the pandemic as they found innovative ways to serve students: virtual club meetings and activities and virtual fundraisers.