Chu Hong Named Hawaiʻi Teacher of the Year

The Kaimukī High School educator was honored for his work in agriculture and entrepreneurship.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Secondary Education

Chu Hong Named Hawaiʻi Teacher of the Year

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Kaimukī High School teacher Chu Hong received the 2027 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year award. The honor was bestowed during a ceremony held at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi.

Why it matters

The annual recognition highlights the efforts of outstanding educators within the state's public school system. The award serves to celebrate innovative teaching methods that successfully integrate practical skills into the classroom.

The award process involved a competitive review of over 13,000 educators from across the public school system. Hong teaches a specialized curriculum covering agriculture, food and natural resources, and entrepreneurship.

The players

Chu Hong

He is an educator at Kaimukī High School who teaches agriculture and entrepreneurship to students.

Kaimukī High School

It is a public secondary school located in Honolulu where Hong implements his agricultural programs.

The details

Chu Hong founded the W.O.R.M.S. Club at Kaimukī High School, which provides students with hands-on experience in composting and sustainability. The program has expanded its focus over time, evolving from the sale of genki balls to the commercial production and sale of premium lettuce.

September 21, 2026: Chu Hong received the Teacher of the Year award during a ceremony.

Culture Shift

This selection follows the pattern set by the National Teacher of the Year Program, which uses state-level recognition to identify candidates for national honors. The win highlights a broader educational shift toward project-based learning and student-led entrepreneurship in high schools.

The success of the W.O.R.M.S. Club demonstrates how local students can gain real-world business experience through school-based agricultural initiatives. Residents can support these programs by purchasing student-grown produce, which directly funds the continuation of these sustainability efforts.

The takeaway

Innovative programs like those led by Chu Hong prove that classroom subjects can have tangible economic benefits for the local community. Teachers and students can replicate this model of success by aligning extracurricular clubs with market-based skills.