Every new school year comes with new faces. This year, HBA welcomes five new teachers at the high school campus: Joshua Williams (History), Nori Murakami (Japanese), Isaac Duncklee (Physics), Antonio Anagaran (Drama), and Angelica Hong (Spanish).
Joshua Williams (History)
One way new History teacher Joshua Williams described his summer vacation to Southern California and Arizona is, “It was very hot, very dry.” The native Californian spent his summer visiting family and teaching summer school at Mid Pacific Institute. His greatest passions are shoes and sports, particularly basketball and football. Being a University of Hawaii alumni, Williams will always cheer for UH; however, he is also a big UCLA fan. When it comes to NBA teams, the Oklahoma Thunder team is where his allegiance lies. Williams wasn’t always a fan of History. His high school memories of history class are pervaded with “boring teachers and boring lessons.” It wasn’t until his college years when Williams found the value in studying the past and the decisions people made. His hope for this year is for students to learn to enjoy school. Williams stated, “High school is such a unique opportunity, to be going to a place where you live close to people. Take advantage of those relationships while you can.”
Nori Murakami (Japanese)
Japanese teacher Nori Murakami kept busy this summer. Between traveling to Japan, preparing for the school year, and taking her dog for walks, she barely had time to pursue her hobby, hiking. Her goal is to hike up Koko head and Makapu‘u as often as she can. Although she was born in Japan, Murakami lived in Korea for seven years due to her father’s job. She attended college in Washington and moved to Hawaii when she got married. When Murakami isn’t teaching Japanese at HBA, she is teaching at Trinity Christian School. Her hope for this school year is to build upon the work of the other Japanese teachers and wishes students will be able to speak Japanese confidently.
Isaac Duncklee (Physics)
New Physics teacher Isaac Duncklee is no stranger to the world of science. Since his high school days, Duncklee has loved Math and Physics. Before he took on the role as teacher, Duncklee held numerous jobs in engineering, ranging from mechanical engineering in construction, plumbing, and air-conditioning. In addition to his passion for Physics, Duncklee is an avid basketball fan. His favorite team, despite their record, is the Los Angeles Lakers. Duncklee also enjoys traveling. “I think you can learn the most about yourself and about other people when you travel,” said Duncklee. One of his favorite places to visit is Spain because of its beautiful architecture and unique food. His hopes for this year are for students to learn the material and feel comfortable enough to approach him with concerns inside and outside of school.
Antonio Anagaran (Drama)
Drama teacher Antonio Anagaran had quite an adventurous summer. He travelled to Europe with his wife to visit his in-laws and spent six days and five nights hiking in the Alps. Anagaran’s love for drama began in high school. “It was a class in which it didn’t matter if you failed or you made a mistake,” said the theater enthusiast. “The only thing that mattered was how you used the mistake in the circumstances.” Anagaran was part of Unusual Suspects, a theater company founded after the Los Angeles race riots to help reconcile racial differences. As a group, they traveled throughout California, teaching in various places from schools to prisons. When he isn’t teaching, Anagaran loves to surf, cook, or watch a good movie, specifically indie films. His hope for this year is to help students invest themselves in production and develop a creative process within the class.
Angelica Hong (Spanish)
Growing up in Mexico, Spanish teacher Angelica Hong, developed a love for the Hispanic culture and vibrant Spanish language. “I think it is a very beautiful, rich and romantic language,” said Hong. Her inspiration for teaching stems from the desire to share the language with as many people as possible to ensure its longevity. In addition to teaching Spanish, Hong is a pharmacist at Longs Drugs store as well. During her free time, Hong enjoys spending time with family and dancing hula. An interesting fact to note is that she used to dance hula while she lived in Mexico. For her first year teaching, Hong hopes that students will continue to learn Spanish and feel comfortable using their knowledge to communicate as they travel.
