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\Let's Start Building\ on STEM foundation TOY urges

To ensure a brighter and better future for American Samoa, the Territorial Teacher of the Year, Monica Lynn Lui calls on educators and the government to start building a strong education foundation for every student — based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

 

Lui, who has been a Science teacher at Samoana High School for eight years, moved to American Samoa after spending a year in Samoa as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer.  She is also the Secondary Division Teacher of the Year (TTOY) this year.

 

She was honored and recognized, along with seven elementary division Teachers of the Year, on Friday night during the Education Department sponsored TTOY celebration at the Gov. H. Rex Lee Auditorium.

 

Her platform as TTOY is “Let's Start Building” which focuses on building strong foundations based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), which she says are “valuable foundations that will be useful no matter where the student’s life adventures takes them.”

 

As a Science teacher she noted, “I quickly learned that I also had to be an English teacher, a Math Teacher, and a Social Studies teacher,” in a statement carried in the TTOY celebration program. “We need to be wiling to take what is being taught and tie it into our daily lives and current events in the world.”

 

“As a teacher I’ve always wanted my students to do their best and I've consistently been reminded that in order for them to do their best I have to do my best,” she said. “If I expect them to study and research, then I also should be keeping up to date and studying the changes in the scientific world that I teach about.”

 

Speaking to the audience Friday night, Lui revealed that her religious beliefs play a major role in her life, her career and her success as a teacher. She referred to a verse from the Bible, which she says translates as, “in everything you do, put God first and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”

 

“I have to attribute all my success to God. On my own I would never have had the strength, determination, care, creativity, or endurance to continue in this career or in life. I found that when I put Him first at school, things work out, even with the ups and downs,” Lui told the audience.

 

She then reminded the audience of other verses from the Bible dealing with the “wise and foolish builders”, noting that “education … will fall with a great crash if it doesn’t have a foundation to build upon. We need to work to make sure that each year, the foundation is laid for the students’ education, otherwise all we teach washes away.”

 

“So to my profession, and to the general public I say — let's start building,” she declared. “Let's start building strong foundations, built on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math,” she said and quickly added, “I’m biased because I’m a science teacher.”

 

“Let's start building a stronger future for our students and our country by networking with the agencies and resources that hire graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — or STEM,” she said, and quickly reminded the audience that the STEM festival is set for Jan. 17 this year, starting at 7:30a.m. at the Samoana High School football field.

 

“Let's continue to feed that desire for our students to learn and make sure we’ve done all that we can to teach every student, even those that push us to our limits because that student may be the one that builds up the hopes and dreams of our country’s future,” said Lui.

 

Besides winning the Territorial Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Lui is also the recipient of the Secondary Division TTOY.

 

Teacher of the Year committee member Roberta Ripely told Mrs. Lui that the unique and interesting trophy given to her, “is a constant reminder to you and your students to keep the flame alight — because a mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”

 

Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale represented the governor during the ceremony and presented the trophy and other prizes to Lui.

 

Besides the trophy, Lui also received a $1,000 monetary gift sponsored by DOE and Director Vaitinasa as well as other prizes donated by local companies.

 

Lui is scheduled to attend the National Teacher of the Year conference next month in Phoenix, Arizona. She will also attend the National Teacher of the Year announcement ceremony in Washington D.C. with President Barack Obama in April and then in July, she will attend the Space Camp at NASA. Her final conference will be in October where she will attend the National Teacher of the Year ‘Next Step’ Conference.

 

Samoa News will report later this week other details from the TTOY celebration, including special remarks by DOE director Vaitinasa Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau and Talauega, as well as special awards for several teachers.

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