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By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin
Kailua High School's Derek K. Minakami, the newly
anointed 2001 State Teacher of the Year, stands by a
more visible part of his victory, a new car that he gets
to use for a year. The gasoline will be free as well.

‘Just awesome’
educator takes
state title

The teacher of the year
is Kailua High's Derek
Minakami, who didn't
always excel at science

---

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

He's a physics teacher who was a struggling science student.

Now, Kailua High School science teacher Derek Minakami is the 2001 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year.

"He's just awesome," Kailua High School senior Cori Okabayashi said.

"I was very surprised but more so humbled and honored that I was selected for this recognition," Minakami said. "The other teachers, when I heard their stories, it was just so moving and (I) thought, uh, I had no chance."

His students said he has the ability to turn complicated science concepts into lessons they can understand. He truly cares about them, they said.

"He's just a good teacher," senior Tricia Miyashiro said.

"He knows us on a personal level," said Nathan Chang, also a Kailua senior.

Minakami, who admittedly wasn't the best science student, said he stumbled into teaching science and realized that the "people element" is at the core of teaching.

"What defines a teacher is not only their knowledge of the content but it's also the caring that they feel for children.

"I think my struggle in learning science helps me to translate it into a way that they can understand it and in a way that's engaging for them."

Minakami was chosen from seven district winners. All seven teachers received a free one-year lease for a new car from the Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association, and the State Teacher of the Year will also get free gasoline for a year.

The Polynesian Cultural Center gave Minakami $2,000 and the district winners $500.

The other winners are:

Kristine Fujita of Kauai's King Kaumualii Elementary;

Janice Fukunaga of Waialua Elementary;

Sue Ann London of Baldwin High School on Maui;

Linda Morikone of Noelani Elementary;

Lauren O'Leary of Konawaena High on the Big Island.

Kathleen Tanaka of Pearl City High.