Carolyn Kirio, LIS alumna and Kapolei Middle School librarian was selected by The White House for their Great Educators Award. She was recognized at a White House ceremony honoring the National Teacher of the Year, State Teachers of the Year, and Great Educators from across the United States on May 3, 2016.
Kirio said: “It is rare to be invited to a party that celebrates education. It is even more amazing to see school librarianship being honored equally as educators of other core disciplines. I am humbled and grateful to have had this experience to represent all school librarians at this monumental celebration.”
Kirio was nominated for the award by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association. She was previously honored by the AASL with its Technology Pathfinder Award in June 2015 for her innovative work making the school library more accessible to students 24/7 and was the first librarian in Hawaii to receive the national honor. The award reviewers were impressed with Kirio’s work in a multi-track school with over 1,400 students. She has teamed up with school educators to make a range of resources available online and integrated on-demand videos for closed-circuit campus TV.
“We are so proud of Carolyn’s accomplishments and applaud her recognition as one of America’s Great Educators,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “Her creative solutions at Kapolei Middle allow students access to the resources they need all year-round and her initiative will truly make a difference in their academic success.”
“We are fortunate to have a dedicated librarian who looks at innovative ways to help our students get the most out of their education,” said Kapolei Middle School Principal Bruce Naguwa. “She has expanded the reach of the library beyond its four walls.”