Since Spring 2024, Good Jobs Hawaiʻi has provided 236 College of Education (COE) student teachers and interns with tuition waivers. Recipients have expressed how much the stipends have helped them with everyday expenses as well as enabled them to continue working, focus on their studies and students, and balance their time and expenses with ease. Here are some of their statements.
Read the February 2024 COE news story.
Mercedes Bate, MEdT in Secondary Education (English) and Special Education (Mild/Moderate)
“As a full-time secondary special education teacher in an inclusion English class, I am deeply committed to helping my students reach their full potential. While my dedication to my job is unwavering, I am thankful that this stipend will allow me to focus more on my professional development while easing the financial burden. Ultimately, this tuition stipend will not only support my immediate educational journey, but will also have a lasting impact on my future as an educator. For that, I am deeply grateful as this support will benefit not only me, but also my students and the broader educational community. I serve my community- thank you for helping me do this!”
Hoku Matsushita, BEd in Secondary Education (Music) Student
“I extremely appreciate this stipend as these funds will cover my gas expenses which will help me stay focused on the student teaching process and portfolio that needs to be completed. As a music teacher, this allowed me to support the students and teach them for their after-school rehearsals and performances outside the classroom with ease. In the future, these funds will support my commute to the schools I will be teaching at, and the rent I will need to pay for housing purposes. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities that Good Jobs Hawai’i has provided for all of the student teachers, and I hope we can continue to spread the sense of aloha to the students and communities.”
Eric Quang, MEdT in Secondary Education (Japanese Language)
“Being able to participate in the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi tuition stipend internship really helped motivate me throughout my final year of student teaching. Knowing that I was being paid while student teaching eased some of the financial burdens and allowed me to focus on growing together with my students and mentor teacher. I am grateful for Good Jobs Hawaiʻi; AJ Cabradilla and Carol Tenn from the Teacher Intern Pilot Project (TIPP); Mio Sato, my mentor teacher at Pearl City High School; and Jim and Scott (MEdT Cohort 64) for all their support!”
Kristen Takamiya, BEd in Secondary Education (Music) Student
“As a music education student, I struggled with maintaining a part-time job, school, and practicing my instrument throughout my studies. My program is K–12 music education, so I need to go to two schools throughout the week. This tuition stipend has helped me tremendously by helping me pay for gas and maintenance for my car so I can get to my student teaching placements on the island. As a neighbor island student, it amazes me how much gas my car consumes driving from Mānoa to Ewa Beach and the amount of traffic there is on Oʻahu. I fill up my gas tank every week and budget my spendings as much as I can. This tuition waiver has made it possible for me to finish my education comfortably because money and paying for this semester’s tuition has been eased. Thank you to Good Jobs Hawaiʻi fo helping me achieve a big milestone in my life and career.”
Micah Bradley, BEd in Secondary Education (Music) Student
“The tuition stipend is extremely helpful as I have had little time to work and make money on my own this semester. I have been at my student teaching placements every day, and three days a week I had rehearsals with one of the schools and wouldn’t leave until 9:00 pm. Being graced with this opportunity has allowed me to commit to these schools and my development as an educator without having an extra layer of financial worries. I have been able to apply myself to teaching fully and intend to do this into the future.”
