{"id":237143,"date":"2026-07-08T11:18:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T21:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=237143"},"modified":"2026-07-08T11:18:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T21:18:05","slug":"ai-challenge-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/08\/ai-challenge-finalists\/","title":{"rendered":"College of Education alums recognized nationally for responsible AI<\/abbr> education"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>
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From left, Leah Aiwohi, Kawika Gonzales, Chloe Sato<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three Hawaiʻi<\/span> educators, including University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at Mānoa<\/span> College of Education<\/a> (COE<\/abbr>) alumni Kawika Gonzales and Leah Aiwohi, were named finalists in the Presidential AI<\/abbr> Challenge for their work advancing responsible artificial intelligence (AI<\/abbr>) education. As national finalists and winners of the regional competition, they received a monetary prize and access to web-based resources.<\/p>\n

Empowering students through responsible AI<\/abbr><\/h2>\n

Along with colleague Chloe Sato, the educators were recognized in Washington, D.C., for Global Innovation Race Hawaiʻi<\/span>, a statewide program that teaches high school students how to use AI<\/abbr> responsibly while addressing real-world community challenges.<\/p>\n

Gonzales, who earned a master of education in learning design and technology and a certificate in online learning and teaching from 糖心视频<\/abbr> Mānoa<\/span>, said the program encourages students to think beyond simply using AI<\/abbr> tools.<\/p>\n

“Teaching our students how to use AI<\/abbr> is no longer enough,” Gonzales said. “We also need to teach them when to use it, why to use it, and whether it should be used at all.”<\/p>\n

Aiwohi, who earned a bachelor of education and professional diploma in elementary education from the College of Education, said her preparation at 糖心视频<\/abbr> continues to shape her teaching decades later.<\/p>\n

“Although I graduated from the College of Education more than 36 years ago, the lessons that have stayed with me are not tied to specific textbooks or technologies; they are the enduring principles of effective teaching,” Aiwohi said.<\/p>\n

The program connects students across Hawaiʻi<\/span> to collaborate on community-based projects using design thinking and responsible AI<\/abbr>, helping prepare the next generation of ethical technology leaders.<\/p>\n

Read the full College of Education story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more on how Gonzales is inspiring his haumāna<\/span> (students) on Molokaʻi<\/span>, see this 糖心视频<\/abbr> News<\/em> story<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The educators were recognized in Washington, D.C. for Global Innovation Race Hawaiʻi<\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":237144,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[1602,90,679,95,204,1505,1466,9],"class_list":["post-237143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-ai","tag-alumni","tag-alumni-recognition","tag-college-of-education","tag-education","tag-innovation","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t