Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 7, 1 July 2008 — Homesteader Myron Monte lauded for excellence in education [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Homesteader Myron Monte lauded for excellence in education

By ī. Ilihia Giansan Publicatiūns Editar Even with all the lessons that Myron Monte has taught over his decades in Hawai'i classrooms, the award-winning Dole Middle School principal attributes the values that guide to his parents and the community of Kalāwahine Homestead, in Makiki, O'ahu. "Kalāwahine is a source of many values that I hold to be true to this day," Monte said. Monte has led a successful career in education. In his third year teaching at Kalani High School in Hawai'i Kai, O'ahu, he was named an outstanding young educator by the Hawai'i Kai Jaycees. Later, he heeame the Hawaiiana teacher there as one of only two Hawaiian teachers at Kalani. "My students quickly learned that the ancient Hawaiian was a hard worker and very intelligent. My students understood that Hawaiians were not lazy," he said. Later, Monte heeame a vice principal at Farrington High School in Kalihi, O'ahu. "The school was in turmoil with many incidents of student violence," he said. By the time he left Farrington, the school had a better culture of achievement and Monte had won the Hawai'i State Assistant Principal award. Monte, headed into his sixth year as principal at Dole Middle, says that "Dole students are moving forward. When

individuals find the work too hard, we circle those individuals and support them. We preach and demonstrate on a daily basis 'aloha kekahi i kekahi,' " he said. No Child Left Behind benchmarks have been rising every year. "Our 'culture of achievement' has caused our students to be focused, eapahle and confident that they ean do the work and gain proficiency," Monte said. In May, Monte's skill at directing Dole Middle was recognized when he was awarded the Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award. He doesn't take all the credit for the achievements, though. "Dole has developed a synergy with all people, teachers, student, parents, classified staff, custodians and the eommunity working together to achieve these eonnnon goals," Monte said. The award comes with a $25,000 prize, $15,000 of whieh is to go toward a project of the awardee's ehoiee. At Dole, "the prize will be used to promote heahh and wellness for students and adults on campus," Monte said. Projects include updating the heahh center's equipment, developing nutrition programs, developing fhness programs, and offering scholarships to families that cannot afford to send ehikhen to diabetes and asthma camps. The secret to Monte's success? "A deep and abiding belief that everyone wants to do good. I have high tolerance for individuals who make mistakes while trying to move forward with their lives." I

"He aupuni palapala ko'u," Kamehameha III declared. My nation I is a literate nation. By the end of the 1800s, the vast majority of the I Hawaiian populahon was literate. And now, at the onset of the 21 st een- I tury, our people are playing active roles in the growth and expansion of I Hawaiian knowledge and education. Here, we profile three kanaka maoli I who contribute enormously to the education of our people. I

Dole Middle School principal Myron Monte, ū homesteader in Kalōwahine in Makiki, won the fifth annual Mūsūyuki īokiokū Excellence in School Leodership Award and $25,000. - Photo: lisa Asato