The Hawai‘i Social justice
Educator Award
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The Social Justice Education in Hawai‘i Project is a joint initiative of the Hanahauʻoli School Professional Development Center (PDC) and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Education (UHM COE). It is aimed at growing the capacity of local educators to inspire youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy. Made possible by the generosity and forward thinking of Jana and Howard Wolff, The Social Justice Education in Hawai‘i Project works to ensure that more teachers, administrators, counselors, and other school practitioners have access to high-quality professional development programs and resources needed for effectively carrying out social justice education initiatives in Hawai‘i. This includes opportunities to learn more about the Southern Poverty Law Center’s critically acclaimed Learning for Justice materials, resources, and professional development opportunities. Launched in 2022, a new and exciting component of the overall project is the Hawai‘i Social Justice (HSJ) Educator Award – a financial award program that aims to support the growing work of social justice educators in Hawai‘i.
With the Hawai‘i Social Justice Educator Award, we aim to acknowledge, illuminate, sustain and grow local educators who are planning and doing exemplary social justice work in the State of Hawai‘i. Two $2,500 awards per school year will be awarded for outstanding project proposals in each of the 2024-2025, 2025-2026, and 2026-2027 school years. Awards will be granted through an application process facilitated by the Hanahau‘oli PDC.
AWARD GUIDELINES
The HSJ Educator Award funds projects in two categories: Teacher/Classroom Level projects and School/System Level projects. We seek to fund projects that culminate in measurable student outcomes and sustainable systems change. All HSJ projects must align to one or more of the Social Justice Standards and incorporate at least one Learning for Justice resource, framework or publication. Awardee(s) are required to submit a 5-8 minute video showcasing the outcome of the project.
Teacher/Classroom Level Award
The Teacher/Classroom Level Award is offered to an individual educator or small peer group. Proposals should focus on creating safe and welcoming classrooms that reflect the outcomes described in the LFJ Social Justice Standards. This includes programming that promotes positive identity development, perspective taking, critical thinking about injustice and collective action. This can also include projects that emphasize student action and promote student perspectives.
School/System Level Award
School/System Level Award is offered to school or district leadership teams or educator networks. Proposals could focus on improving school climate, responding to and preventing incidents of hate and bias, or embedding the concepts found in the LFJ Social Justice Standards into the school or district-wide curriculum. These projects may also focus on improving teaching capacity or promoting dialogue among school community members about anti-bias and anti-racist issues at school.
All HSJ Educator Awards are $2,500. Projects must be completed within 12 months of receiving funds.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
You must meet the following descriptions to be eligible to apply:
Educator, administrator and/or school personnel, working in public, private, or charter P-12 educational spaces in Hawai‘i or
Practicing educator employed at community-based, nonprofit or other informal learning site in Hawai‘i
Demonstrated some evidence of Social Justice work completed
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
Applications will be judged and selected using the following criteria:
Met eligibility criteria
Completed the application
Demonstrated community need
Clear measurable student outcomes and/or sustainable systems change
The project connects to one or more of the four domains of the Social Justice Standards
The project incorporates at least one Learning for Justice resource, framework or publication
Evidence of prior social justice work addressing individual level (e.g., biased speech) and/or institutional or systemic level (e.g., discrimination) injustice in your school and/or community
A clear plan for sustaining the project over time
A description of use of funding, including a timeline
FINAL PROJECT REPORTING
Upon completion of the project, awardees must submit a 5-8 minute video presentation that showcases:
The context of the project and identified community need
Project objectives
The outcome of the project
Next steps and future commitments
Reflections on the impact of the HSJ Educator Award
Final project reporting is limited to the final presentation video outlined above. Grantees will not be required to provide quarterly progress updates or other end-of-grant reports.
TIMELINE
We offer one grant cycle per school year. Following are key dates for the 2023-2024 school year:
Application Opens: October 2024
Application Deadline: February 1, 2024
Decision Notification: No later than March 1, 2024
Public Award Announcement: March 2024
Grant Period: One year beginning on the date awards are distributed in March
Exact date dependent on when paperwork is received, approved and processed
Final Project Reporting: Video presentations due February of the following school year
Final video reports may be showcased at the following year’s Mālama i Nā Keiki event
HOW TO APPLY:
1. Carefully review the project criteria and guidelines above
2. Complete the online application which seeks information on the following: the classroom, school, district, or site that would be affected by the proposed project; the proposed project, including narrative, objectives, timing, budget and desired outcomes.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: February 1, 2024
Questions may be directed to the HSJ Manager at leadersofsocialjustice@gmail.com.
