The Hawai‘i Social justice
Educator AwardS

Click on the flyer above to download and share

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.

The Hawai‘i Social Justice Educator Awards are a key component of the larger Social Justice Education in Hawai‘i Project. This unique program aims to acknowledge, illuminate, sustain and grow local educators who are planning and doing exemplary social justice work. Two $2,500 awards will be granted for outstanding project proposals for implementation in the 2023-2024 through 2026-2027 school years. We seek to fund projects that culminate in measurable student outcomes and sustainable systems change. Awards will be granted through an application process facilitated by the Hanahau‘oli PDC using the “Apply Now” button below. 

Hawaii Social Justice Educator AWARDs GUIDELINES

Two awards per school year will be granted. Proposed projects must align to one or more of the Social Justice Standards and incorporate at least one Learning for Justice resource, framework or publication. 

Teacher/Classroom Level Project

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 Learning For Justice (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 Project

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. 

Awardee(s) are required to submit a 5-8 minute video showcasing the outcome of the project. 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, or school personnel in a public, private, or charter P-12 educational space 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 LFJ 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: 

  1. The context of the project and identified community need

  2. Project objectives

  3. The outcome of the project

  4. Next steps and future commitments

  5. 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 2025-2026 school year:

  • Application Opens: October 2024

  • Application Deadline: February 1, 2025 

  • Decision Notification: No later than March 1, 2025

  • Public Award Announcement: March 2025

  • 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

 
 

DEADLINE TO APPLY: February 1, 2025

Questions may be directed to pdc@hanahauoli.org.

PAST RECIPIENTS

Read detailed descriptions of past projects funded by the Hawai‘i Social Justice Educator Awards, and their remarkable educator and student leaders, in the following articles featured on the Progressive Philosophy & Pedagogy Blog: