46 |
C H A M I N A DE MAGAZI NE
Changing the World, One Student at a Time DR. BRANDY SATO ’97 ’02 KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT CATHOLIC SCHOOL. A KAILUA NATIVE, HER FAMILY HAS A LEGACY OF ATTENDING EITHER SACRED HEARTS ACADEMY OR ST. LOUIS SCHOOL. SHE FOLLOWED SUIT, AND ATTENDED THE ALL-GIRLS SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE MAKING THE TREK ACROSS WAI'ALAE AVENUE TO ATTEND CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY.
“The experience I had at Chaminade is one I want to duplicate for my students ... to make sure we continue to educate the whole child.”
“My family and I have a strong tradition of Catholic education,” says Sato. “I actually only attended Catholic schools until I was an adult in graduate school. Faith is really important to me, and continuing to learn in Catholic institutions has very much filled my heart, filled my soul, and fulfilled me spiritually.” B R I N G I N G T H E FA I T H A L I V E
Sato graduated from Chaminade in 1997 with a degree in business administration and historical and political studies, and immediately joined the financial services industry. But she recognized right away that it wasn’t the right fit. Throughout her entire educational career, Sato had been taught to serve—to give back to her community. The constant focus on money was new to her, and felt at odds with the values of service and faith that she had grown up with. She wanted a career that offered fulfillment— something she could feel good about doing, and know she was having a lasting impact on the communities around her—a way to take her faith and put it into action by serving those around her. She began thinking back to her time teaching Sunday school when she was in high school, and she remembered the joy she felt when working with children. Sato began talking to the director at St. Ann School in Kaneohe, and she soon landed her first teaching job in the three-year-old’s classroom. She loved it. Something clicked, and it felt so natural. So she went back to Chaminade University to get her Master of Education. “Everyone has an opportunity to thrive and contribute to making this world a better place,” says Sato when asked what she loves about teaching. “That’s really what attracts me to
