Eunice Fukunaga

Assistant Principal, Waipahu High School

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Eunice Fukunaga was instrumental in establishing several certifications and work based learning experiences for our students and many of these partnerships are a result of her strong commitment to maintaining positive relationships with industry partners. She single-handedly secured grant funding for Waipahu High School to offer CPR certifications to nearly 250 students as well as establish a Pharmacy Technician program in partnership with Kapiolani Community College (KCC). Over the last 3 years, 61 students have completed the program and many of our graduates are working in local pharmacies now. Additionally, Eunice closely worked with the Director of Workforce Development at Hawaii Pacific Health (HPH), Carl Hinson, to establish a Medical Assistant program that our school hosts but is offered to students from several Leeward District schools. This means that Eunice’s commitment to offering students high-quality CTE programs has actually benefited students beyond our student population.

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Recommendation by Aldrin Fragargan Rafael (Student)

This year, I really felt the benefits of Mrs. Fukunaga's hard work because my cohort was actually offered paid externships and I have been able to make money during the pandemic which has helped. When schools closed at the beginning of the pandemic, Mrs. Fukunaga worked with our instructor to make sure that our classes would continue virtually. This experience gave me the opportunity to practice and improve both my soft and hard skills in the field and I was able to grow my passion for the health field. In fact, my experience made me want to continue in the health field and next year, I will be attending Saint Martin's University and majoring in Nursing. I feel lucky that the health classes I took at Waipahu High School and my participation in the Pharmacy Technician program have definitely made me a stronger student and I feel prepared for college. Without Mrs. Fukunaga’s contributions, I am not sure I would have had the same high school experience.

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Recommendation by Hayley McDermott (Teacher)

Eunice is also incredibly supportive of CTE teachers and someone who leads by example. Her hard work and dedication inspire me to be a better teacher. In CTE, there seem to be so many logistical issues to navigate and I would not be the CTE teacher that I am today without Eunice’s guidance. Whether I need help with a budget request, have a question about field trip paperwork, have a new idea I want feedback on, or have a question about safety or legal issues, I know I can go to Eunice. Even when she doesn’t truly have time, she will make time to ensure that teachers feel supported and honestly, that has really empowered me as a relatively new CTE teacher.

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