Niu Valley Middle School’s Zachary Morita earns 2022 S.T.A.C.Y. Award for Teaching Excellence
Posted: April 5, 2022
The Hawaii State Teachers Association named Zachary Morita, a music teacher at Niu Valley Middle School, as its 2022 S.T.A.C.Y. Award for Teaching Excellence recipient.
The award was established to celebrate the work of the late Stacy Nishina, an outstanding public school teacher, longtime staff member of HSTA, and the supporter of all HSTA’s state candidates for the NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence.
On Saturday, Zachary was honored at a special presentation during HSTA’s 49th Annual State Convention in Honolulu.
“I have to give so much gratitude to all my past and present and Niu Valley learners,” Zachary said. “We explore we innovate, we fail, reflect we learn, grow, and we repeat. Our learning is messy. And sometimes my students don’t understand why we do certain learning activities. But I truly believe that a personalized learning environment is how we build the confidence within our learners.
“This award is representative of a community of passionate educators intertwined with one another. Several years ago I reached a breaking point like other teachers may have had, but connection and community saved me. I’m fortunate and grateful and humbled by many who continually inspired me to be better,” Zachary said.
Zachary demonstrates each of the following five criteria of the S.T.A.C.Y. award:
Scholarship: A music educator for 14 years, Zachary is a lifelong learner committed to his teaching practice to positively impact student growth. He shares his story with others via social media in the hopes of supporting and connecting with other educators within his school, state, and beyond.
Teaching: Through ongoing personal and professional learning, Zachary incorporated a more innovative approach to his instruction that centers on both teacher and students being learners who are responsible for growing through collaboration. He often seeks special opportunities for his students, such as when his school’s concert band performed at the 2019 Australian International Music Festival in Sydney under Zachary’s instruction.
Advocacy: Zachary is an active member of HSTA, and his commitment to advocate for his fellow educators is evident through his involvement in various leadership roles within the union.
Community: In 2018, Zachary rallied the support of his school and community to win the “Farmers Insurance Dream Big Teacher Challenge Grant,” worth $100,000. He used the money to create a Music Olympic Invitational, an American-Idol-type of musical competition for students playing instruments, and now encourages other teachers to apply for the grant.
Youth: In 2014, Zachary also founded Hawaii Youth Percussion Ensemble, a nonprofit organization whose vision is to create a community of musicians who are drawn together to develop and share their love and appreciation of music. Through his nonprofit, Zachary has been able to provide opportunities for students to travel, perform, and work with well-known musicians and conductors.
As the recipient of this year’s award, Zachary will be HSTA’s nominee for the 2023 NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Watch: HSTA presents Zachary with the 2022 S.T.A.C.Y. Award
