Public School Educator Scholarships for In-Service
Learning is a gift that keeps giving! Investing in the professional development of public school educators who are committed to helping others provides many benefits. Those who receive HEA Public School Scholarships for In-Service share their newly acquired knowledge with other educators and their students to make lift up the entire teaching community. Congratulations to the following educators and mahalo for your dedication to the teaching profession!
Lauren Collier is a special education teacher at Kāneʻohe Elementary School and a statewide leader dedicated to advancing inclusive education for Hawaiʻi’s students. With more than a decade of experience in special education, Lauren serves as president of the Hawaiʻi Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children while mentoring educators and leading initiatives that strengthen equitable practices across the state.
Her scholarship will help offset the cost of pursuing a doctor of education degree in educational leadership at the University of Southern California, where she is studying instructional change with a focus on educational equity and inclusive systems.
Through her research and leadership, Lauren is committed to improving instructional decision-making, supporting fellow educators, and ensuring students with disabilities have access to high-quality, culturally responsive learning opportunities throughout Hawaiʻi’s public schools.
Eleonor Simonette Ines is an English Language Arts teacher and team lead at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School. She focuses on strengthening student-centered learning and instructional leadership in Hawaiʻi’s public schools.
Currently pursuing a master of education in curriculum studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Eleonor combines her classroom experience with research in progressive pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching, and Philosophy for Children to better serve her students and colleagues. Her scholarship will help offset the cost of graduate tuition, allowing her to continue her studies while balancing the financial responsibility of supporting her family.
Passionate about educational equity and teacher leadership, Eleonor looks forward to applying her advanced learning to curriculum development, mentoring fellow educators, and creating meaningful, culturally grounded learning experiences that help all students thrive.
