WAIPAKE — Faced with teaching her students how to solve complex equations yesterday, Kula High School teacher Polly Philips received some unexpected help. Phyllis Somers and Stefani Gee of the National Tropical Botanical Garden surprised the science teacher with the
WAIPAKE — Faced with teaching her students how to solve complex equations yesterday, Kula High School teacher Polly Philips received some unexpected help.
Phyllis Somers and Stefani Gee of the National Tropical Botanical Garden surprised the science teacher with the announcement that Philips had won a Science Advancement Fellow award.
The award is presented to science teachers who have spent some time with the NTBG program held in conjunction with the Kaua‘i Community College and professor Brian Yamamoto during the summer.
Philips also received a stipend of $700 for the work she does in the advancement of science.
“We hope that more island science teachers will come forward to investigate the program,” said Somers, NTBG education coordinator. “Every year, we are flooded with applications from teachers, but Philips was one of the few from Kaua‘i to take advantage of the program. We want more of our teachers to be able to benefit from the program’s offerings.”
The fellowship allows Philips to return to NTBG for another program.
In addition to teaching chemistry and biology, Philips is a college counselor.
“She’s really good at it, too,” said Kula Elementary principal Lisa Mireles, on hand to assist in the presentation.
Financial need should not be a reason why students cannot attend Kula School.
Larry Bowman and Shawn Smith of Falko Partners discussed this with Kula School principals David and Lisa Mireles Tuesday.
“This is just one component of Falko Partners,” Bowman said. “Last year, we worked out programs to take care of the public schools. This is our initial thrust to work with private schools. There will be more to come.”
Bowman said the establishment of a scholarship program with Kula Schools is one of Falko Partners’ broader commitment towards education.
“The commitment is to provide new opportunities for the future,” Bowman said, so Kaua‘i students can compete anywhere in the world.
Kula High principal David Mireles said Bowman approached him last year and the initial program saw an eighth- and a fifth-grader become beneficiaries of the new scholarship program.
Since that award, David Mireles said the program has expanded beyond children coming from government workers to anyone who has an interest in attending the Kula Schools.
Kula Elementary principal Lisa Mireles said the student applicant must demonstrate merit, academic promise, a commitment to the island and be an exemplary citizen.
The establishment of the long-term scholarship program ties in with the Mireles’ goal of increasing the enrollment at Kula Schools and diversify its student population.
During Bowman’s visit to the Waipake campus, home of one of the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation’s regular-season cross country races, he was introduced to Trever Paik, one of last year’s scholarship recipients. Fifth-grader Natalia Smith was the other recipient, but could not attend the visit from Falko Partners.
“We want people to apply for these scholarships,” Bowman said. “There are a lot of parents out there who aren’t aware of some of the opportunities.”
Applications are available at the school or at www.kula.org.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
