Rotary Club honors Kilauea Teacher of the Year, student essay winner

The Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay recently recognized the Kilauea School Teacher of the Year Jami Sitzler and the Kilauea sixth-grade student winner of the Four-Way Test of Rotary Essay Contest, Keanu Brown during a luncheon at the St. Regis Princeville Resort.

Sitzler was selected for her award by her fellow teachers. Their comments reflected on her dedication of being an outstanding teacher: “The welfare and success of her students is what is most important to Jami. She goes out of her way to make every student feel good.”

Sitzler encourages her students to get involved in the community. She organized a Jump Rope 4 Heart and raised more than $3,000 for the American Heart Association. The third-grade teacher and her students also raised money to help save the rain forests. The Hanalei Bay Rotarians presented Sitzler with an award certificate and a check for $250.

When accepting her award, Sitzler said that teaching is like “a good day surfing,” never knowing what sets will come in, and being continually uplifted and renewed by the energy of her students. She also thanked the staff at Kilauea School for their professionalism, the Hanalei Bay Rotarians for providing classroom mentors and continued support of Adopt a Classroom and for recently purchasing iPads for the students.

To help students learn how to make difficult decisions, the Rotary club also sponsors a 4-Way Test of Rotary Essay Contest every year. Keanu Brown’s winning 4-Way Test essay was selected for its thoughtful approach to navigating life’s many challenging situations. 

“I will use the questions with the intent to benefit all human beings,” his essay states, and “I will use critical thinking to make decisions that will impact future generations.”

In recognition of his essay, Keanu was presented with a certificate and a check for $150.