The Elementary Economics Teacher of the Year is Lisa Daly. Lisa has been an advocate of economics since attending her first economic education workshop, Economics and Children’s Literature in 2000. Since her first introduction to economics, she has attended eight workshops to enhance her knowledge and skills to teach economics to elementary age students.

At Haiku Elementary, Lisa is an example of the economic concept of specialization. She teaches economic concepts to 73 fifth graders when she teachers Pre-Colonial and Post-Colonial history. Beginning with barter, she integrates economics into the class by including goods and services, taxation, trade, and supply and demand. She has also taught the popular Mini-Society program.

Lisa’s principal, Bernice Takahata, says, “I am impressed by her ability and passion to enrich the lives of students and help them understand that Economics is part of our everyday lives.”

We agree. I am honored to present a check for $1,000 from Hawai`i Pacific University to Lisa Daly of Haiku Elementary for her commitment to teach all students the basic principles of economics.

Kim Kimball Fale- Kamehameha School (Honolulu Campus)
Secondary Economics Teacher of the Year

The Secondary Economics Teacher of the Year is Kim Fale of Kamehameha Schools. Although Kim has taught economics at Kamehameha for only two years, she brings her experience in teaching in the public sector to her Economics and AP Economics classes.

She has attended the Advance Placement College Board Summer Institute to learn more about the AP curriculum, teaching strategies and to learn from her colleagues. To motivate her students to take economics seriously, she has entered student teams for both the Adam Smith (AP Economics) and David Ricardo division of the Island Insurance Companies Economics Challenge.

Ms. Fale believes understanding the fundamental concepts and principles of economics is essential to a student’s learning for the rest of his or her life. Therefore, she begins the course focusing on the basic principles of Economics - How people make decisions, How people interact with each other, and How the economy works as a whole. She also provides a framework on the Powers of Economic Thinking. This is a life skill and will remain with her students forever.

Principal Julian Ako said, “When I was department chair, I felt a course in economics was necessary for all Kamehameha students, therefore, we made it requirement for graduation. Looking back, what I envisioned is now being implemented by Ms. Fale.”

For championing economic education and exemplary teaching, we cannot think of a better candidate to be the Secondary Economics Teacher of the Year. I am honored to present a check for $1,000 from Hawai`i Pacific University to Kim Fale.