The Christine Bean Award honors the memory of Christine Bean and her passion and commitment to public education. Each year, TFA Hawai‘i recognizes at least one educator making a positive difference in public education in Hawai‘i and exudes the values of kuleana, ʻohana and aloha—values that Christine exemplified in her life. Learn more about each of the 2024 winners.

Dr. Ululani Kekahiliokalani Oana (Hawai‘i ʻ15) is the Science Instructional Coach at Waiʻanae Intermediate School—her original placement school. She was nominated by a colleague who shared, 

"In her role as an educator, Ulu has taken the initiative to rewrite the 8th-grade science curriculum, implementing significant improvements to enhance the learning experience. She courageously shifted from a Western-centric approach to an Aloha ʻĀina science curriculum, rooted in ʻike kūpuna (ancestral knowledge), Aloha ʻĀina, and pilina (relationships). This transformative change has resulted in significant improvements across various areas. Students' behavior, engagement, academic success, sense of responsibility, sense of belonging, and particularly their development of Hawaiian identity have all shown positive growth. By centering the curriculum on indigenous knowledge and fostering a deep connection to the land, she has paved the way for a more holistic and culturally responsive science education."

Justin Brown (Hawai‘i ʻ09) has continued to teach Math and Robotics at Kealakehe High School, his original placement school, and also serves as the school’s Coordinator and Department Head for Career and Technical Education. Among his nominators was former student Dannia A., who shared,

“...He works tirelessly to provide indigenous students with opportunities unheard of in public education. My freshman year of high-school alone I participated in competitions such as ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle), TARC (Team America Rocketry Competition), Science Fair, Science Olympiad, InvenTeams, and much more. The collective experiences I’ve gained from these competitions have made me an overall more confident student. Confidence is a major barrier for indigenous students when it comes to academics. Confidence is what will pull indigenous communities out of insecurity, and confidence is the very thing that Justin Brown instills in each and every one of his students...”

Cameron Kubota (Hawai‘i ʻ13) originally taught Math at Waiʻanae High School. As a TFA alum, he participated in the Hawaiʻi Certification Institute for School Leadership (HICISL) and is now the Principal of Lincoln School which serves Native Hawaiian students of the Papakōlea area (a similar demographic to the community he served in Waiʻanae). He was nominated by a former colleague who wrote,

"Principal Cameron Kubota is absolutely making a positive difference in the community of Papakōlea and at Lincoln Elementary School, where he is currently in his first year as Principal after serving two years as Vice Principal there. Last year when the former Principal submitted her retirement paperwork, his colleagues and the Papakōlea community rallied together to advocate for him to become the next Principal. They spoke with the former Principal and the Complex Area Superintendent, who clearly saw the potential for Cameron to be a great leader for Lincoln Elementary. This community support is evidence of the strong relationships that Cameron managed to build in just two short years, something that would not have been possible without his aloha spirit, strong work ethic, and positive attitude."