HONOLULU — Hawaii State Federal Credit Union (Hawaii State FCU) announced today it awarded $20,000 in grants to 43 public school teachers through the 2017 Investing in Education program. For the first time, Hawaii State FCU awarded recipients from the islands of Lanai and Molokai, along with teachers on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island.
The Investing in Education grant program supports Hawaii public school teachers by providing up to $500 for educational resources and classroom activities. The educators, who teach a range of subjects in elementary, middle and high school, were selected based on essay submissions detailing their classroom needs.
Since the program began nine years ago, an increasing number of grants are funding STEM-related activities, including technology software, coding lessons, computers and tablets. Grant applications also indicated a prevalent need for more sensory items and adaptive learning tools in special education and resource classrooms that serve students with individual educational needs.
“Education has always been a key focus of our community-giving efforts. We’re also happy that teachers on Lanai and Molokai know about our program and are receiving grant money,” said Andrew Rosen, president and CEO of Hawaii State FCU. “We’re committed to supporting teachers’ evolving needs in the classroom, which enable students to learn in new and innovative ways.”
Since 2009, Hawaii State FCU has funded the classroom needs of 433 grant recipients, with more than $196,800 awarded to support Hawaii’s teachers. Hawaii State FCU also invests in higher education; its Lowell Kalapa Scholarship Program has awarded more than $540,000 over the past 20 years to help students attend universities, colleges and trade schools in Hawaii and on the mainland.