Celeste Endo is Computer Science Lead Learner and an HSTE Board Member in  Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a @tinkthinktank coach, leads the way with CODE dance parties and Cosplay was the 2020 Kaimuki McKinley Roosevelt Complex Area Teacher of the Year and is a 2022 Hawaii KidsCAN Legislative Champion. Celeste shared “whenever we get over the rainbow creative in our work and play, we encourage our learners to do the same.”
Your WHY 
Every interaction, every moment, and every step we take is an opportunity to be better than we were before. These are chances to improve ourselves and become the people we wish to become. As time ticks away, what if we don’t think of it as a fleeting moment? What if we think of each moment as another opportunity to better ourselves from the version before? We have so much to learn, grow, and share with each person we are lucky to cross paths with. We can truly learn from everyone. 
 Let it grow!
Your Background
Born and raised in Honolulu Hawaii, I had an amazingly supportive family. I was lucky to be born into a loving family of educators who did everything they could to nurture and help me grow. The school was a stark contrast to my home. I remember being pulled out of the homeroom with two other children every day to what I thought was a Special Ed class. It was so embarrassing for me and every time a little bit of my soul shrank. Years later, in my 40’s I spoke to my mom about that Special Ed class. She told me that it wasn’t Special Ed, it was a Reading class, like English Learner classes of today… but I had no excuse not to know English. I came from a family of English-speaking educators! Haha, I can laugh about it now, but it sure hurt back then.
Let’s not erase or throw away the tough times. They are an embedded part of us and help us appreciate the good. Life challenges make us more empathetic to the people we get to teach. Let’s try to be more understanding when learners don’t quite get it… yet, and try to find new ways to spark deeper learning.
I graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a Bachelor’s Elementary Ed in 1996 and a Master’s Educational Technology in 2000. I’m currently a Computer Science Teacher for Preschool-5th grade at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Elementary, where I have found a home away from home, an ‘ohana. I love my school, admin, teachers, and growing lead learners! I drew this picture and wrote this chant that students lead us in, to start our Computer Science classes.

Why did you become a teacher?
My grandpa once told me, “Celeste, I think you will be a good teacher.