Elise Hannigan wins 2026 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year award

E​​​lise Hannigan, an English teacher at Keaʻau High on Hawaiʻi Island, received the state’s top teaching award from Gov. Josh Green and Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi during a ceremony at Washington Place Friday afternoon.

Hannigan was named the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s 2026 Teacher of the Year from more than 13,000 educators. Hannigan was selected from among 16 HIDOE and public charter school teachers of the year, representing 15 complex areas and public charter schools.

Watch: The Department of Education’s 2026 Teacher of the Year ceremony at Washington Place

During her acceptance speech, Hannigan said, “My whole life, I was met with the phrase, ‘You don’t want to do that.’ Go back to school, ‘You don’t want to do that.’ Become a teacher, ‘You don’t want to do that.’ Teach in Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area, ‘You don’t want to do that. Work with ninth graders, ‘You definitely don’t want to do that.’ Well, it turns out that I did want to do that, and all of those things, and more.”

“Each day, we are entrusted with the future of this world, and each day, we have the choice to build our future up or tear our future down. I hope that as we continue to interact with our students, we will not be the voice that says you don’t want to do that and instead says, ‘How can I help you reach that goal?’” she said.

Hannigan, who teaches 9th-grade inclusion English and AP English to seniors, is deeply committed to fostering a sense of belonging for all students. Her teaching philosophy centers around ensuring every student feels seen, supported and empowered to achieve their individual goals, connecting them not only to their school but also to the vibrant Island community they call home.

As a freshman academy coordinator, Hannigan has helped increase student promotion rates from 9th to 10th grade through initiatives like the summer school summer bridge program. She has played a critical role in helping the academy earn certification as a model academy through the National Career Academy Coalition. She has also served as a mentor teacher for new teachers.

“All I can think about is the 14 years of students whom I’ve taught, and I just hope that my doing this can show them that amazing things can happen if you put your mind to it. And I hope I do a good job representing them,” Hannigan said.

Teaching is her second career, following years working as an optician in Seattle and Hilo.

“When I moved to Hilo initially, I still worked in the ophthalmology field because I wanted to get to know the people with whom I was living before I started teaching their children. And so I spent a few years doing that, going through the teaching program, and really learning about the community I work in and surf. And then I felt comfortable to step into the role as an educator, and it’s been nothing but a blessing ever since,” Hannigan said.

Hannigan is an active Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association member, and has spent years as a school-level leader at Keaʻau High. She has served on her school’s Association Policy Committee and as a grievance representative.

She also represents the HSTA’s Hilo Chapter as a member of HSTA’s Charter, Bylaws, and Resolutions Committee.

“I found that it was just right up my alley because it’s a lot of language and grammar and helping people make their statements in the most succinct and appropriate way possible. And so it was perfect,” Hannigan said.

She also serves as an HSTA representative on the joint HIDOE-HSTA Teacher Transfer Program committee, work that she calls “challenging.”

“I think it’s finding a good balance. Of course, if you open it up completely, there’s a fear that we’ll lose teachers in the middle of the year. If we don’t open it up, there are teachers who are going to go anyway, and we’re fighting through a few systems,” Hannigan said.

‘It’s been rewarding just to be able to talk to people and become more knowledgeable in the transfer program and understand what goes on behind the scenes with all the HSTA has to deal with regularly,” she added.

In addition, Hannigan has served on various committees with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and College Board Advanced Placement.

Hannigan will represent Hawaiʻi in the National Teacher of the Year program in Washington, D.C. The national winner will be announced in spring 2026.

At Friday’s ceremony, all 16 2023 Complex Area Teachers of the Year and Charter School Teacher of the Year were honored. Hannigan was the winner from the Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area.

The full list of the finalists honored Friday are, in alphabetical order:

• David Adler, 6th grade math and science, Nānākuli-Waiʻanae Complex Area, Nānākuli Elementary
• Josette (Kaleo) Akim Hanohano, Modern History of Hawai‘i and Hawaiian Language, Castle-Kahuku Complex Area, Kahuku High & Intermediate
• Jessica Canyon, 5th grade, Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Complex Area, Fern Elementary
• Susan Chew, Kindergarten, Hāna-Lahainaluna-Lānaʻi-Molokaʻi Complex Area, Lānaʻi High and Elementary
• Claire Ann (Kalaunuola) Domingo, Kindergarten (Hawaiian immersion), Public Charter Schools, Ke Kula ‘o Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School
• Steve Hanks, 11th and 12th grade math, Honokaʻa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area, Honokaʻa High & Intermediate
• Christopher Justo, Agriculture, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area, Mililani Middle
• Jodi Kadoyama, Curriculum Coordinator, Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area, Mānana Elementary
• Emily Mendoza, Culinary Arts, ʻAiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area, ʻAiea High
• Kristel Pigao, 5th grade, Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kūlanihākoʻi-Maui Complex Areai, Waiheʻe Elementary
• Dawn Spurrell-Robinson, PreK–6, Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area, Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area
• Courtney Suma, Career Academy Coordinator, Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area, Kapolei High
• Kris Tajima, English Learner Coordinator, Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt Complex Area, Kauluwela Elementary
• Kathleen Trifonovitch, 4th grade, Kailua-Kalaheo Complex Area, Maunawili Elementary
• Natsumi Yamasato, STEM, Kapaʻa-Kauaʻi-Waimea Complex Area, Wilcox Elementary