Hawaii Catholic Herald
Hawaii Catholic Schools’ year-end Golden Pine“apple” Awards gathering honoring the state’s top teacher, top administrator and retiring educators took on a poignant tone May 8 as Bishop Larry Silva joined the ranks of those being celebrated ahead of their retirement.
The annual recognition luncheon’s keynote speaker this year was Bishop Silva, whose retirement was accepted just two days earlier by Pope Leo XIV.
He recalled that when he first became bishop, he asked the superintendent at the time, Carmen Himenes, for the handbooks from six different schools.
All were filled with procedures, guidelines and schedules, “but very few of them said much about Jesus,” he said.
Bishop Silva said he thus began to “challenge that a little bit” and try to nurture more evangelization in schools.
Educators understandably have much to deal with, he said, but Catholic educators must also remember that “any of the institutions that we have in the church are to proclaim the good news of Jesus. They are the infrastructure for proclamation.”
Bishop Silva’s suggestions — admittedly, he said to laughter, “as somebody who can make some suggestions and then leave” — for boosting the focus on Jesus included motivating young students to be the evangelizers and making faith “a very large criterion in our hiring of staff.”
“Our institutions are very complex,” he said. “They take a lot of time and energy, but most important in these institutions is our faith in Jesus Christ and his love for us.
“I thank you for sharing that faith and pray that you will be more effective in sharing it in the future,” Bishop Silva concluded.
Bishop Silva’s keynote talk was followed by recognition of two administrators who are retiring this year: Caryn DeMello, principal of St. John Vianney School in Kailua; and Msgr. Terry Watanabe of St. Anthony School in Wailuku, who has served as chair of the diocesan board of education for many years.
The highlight of the luncheon was the awarding of Hawaii Catholic Schools’ Golden Pine“apple” Awards to the state’s top educator and top administrator.
Annie Agbayani, who has been a preschool teacher at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Pearl City for nearly three decades, was named the teacher of the year.
Glenn Medeiros, president of Saint Louis School in Kaimuki for more than a decade, was honored as the administrator of the year.
The awards were sponsored by John C. and Mary Brogan, Chaminade University of Honolulu and the Augustine Educational Foundation.
Above top: Our Lady of Good Counsel School preschool teacher Annie Agbayani, center, was honored as Hawaii Catholic Schools’ teacher of the year May 8 during the annual Golden Pine“apple” Awards luncheon. She was joined, from left, by Father Marty Solma, rector and vice president of mission at Chaminade University of Honolulu; Sacred Hearts Father Santhosh Thottankara, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church; Dale Fryxell, dean of education and behavioral sciences at Chaminade; Chantelle Luarca, principal at Our Lady of Good Counsel; Elizabeth Park, associate professor of education at Chaminade; and Mandy Thronas-Brown, associate superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools.
Above center: Saint Louis School President Glenn Medeiros, center, was honored as Hawaii Catholic Schools’ administrator of the year. He received the Golden Pine“apple” Award and a check from Chaminade University from Father Solma, left, Fryxell, Thronas-Brown and Park.
Above bottom: Bishop Larry Silva, top, and Msgr. Terry Watanabe are both retiring this year. Bishop Silva gave the luncheon’s keynote address and Msgr. Watanabe spoke on his stepping away after decades of involvement in Catholic education. Another school administrator, Principal Caryn DeMello of St. John Vianney School in Kailua, is also retiring this year but did not attend the gathering. (Photos by Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)