About Faith C. Ai and
George Hu Wong
Faith C. Ai
(1915-1997)
Faith, who attended Hawaii’s public schools and the University of Hawaii, had a long and distinguished career as a teacher, administrator, and community volunteer. She made significant contributions to public education in Hawaii through her work as an elementary school teacher in Special Education; as the Vice-Principal at two Oahu elementary schools; and from 1964 until her retirement in 1980, as the Principal of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in Honolulu. During her tenure, the enrollment grew to over 1,000 students. "Lincoln Elementary" developed a reputation for having outstanding teachers, providing superior curricula, and offering enriching extracurricular activities.
Faith was known for her dedication to improving the education available to Hawaii's youth, and for her concern about the education and welfare of children everywhere. She had a straightforward manner, a sense of humor, and an appreciation for creativity. Faith believed that one is enriched by growing beyond the confines of one's own language, country, culture, and religion. She travelled extensively and maintained that it is the best form of "continuing education" because it expands our sensitivity to other cultures, appreciation for diversity, and awareness of global issues.
Faith also believed that we should “give back” to our community, for in doing so, we provide important role models and legacies for future generations. After retiring, she devoted herself to community service and became a tireless volunteer in numerous professional and non-profit organizations.
Since Faith's death in 1997, three types of scholarships in her memory have been established. First, we are indebted to the Hawaii Education Association and it's Executive Director, Carol Yoneshige; from 1997 to 2012, their invaluable help made it possible to award the first 40 scholarships to Hawaii undergraduates majoring in Education.
In 2011, Cynthia Ai, and her husband, Ronald L. Embry, M.D., created an endowment at Cynthia's alma mater, the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Scholarships in Faith’s memory are awarded annually to graduate students from the United States, Asia, and the Pacific Island nations who intend to teach.
Thanks to the generosity of George Hu Wong, in 2012 a third type of scholarships was provided for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for certified teachers who are pursing graduate degrees.
George Hu Wong
(1921-2011)
George was born in China in 1921, and at the age of nine, he and his father immigrated to San Francisco, California. Despite poverty and other hardships, George’s intelligence, work-ethic, and excellence in mathematics and sciences were recognized by his teachers; he graduated from a high school in San Francisco renown for those subjects. George even became the editor of the school yearbook. After high school, George was drafted into the U. S. Army. As a soldier in World War II, he served as an interpreter in China, India, and the United States. Upon receiving an honorable discharge, George enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley where the “G. I. Bill” provided financial help with his tuition. He also had several part-time jobs in San Francisco’s Chinatown to support himself and his father.
One of his jobs was at a men’s clothing store on Grant Avenue that was owned by the husband of Faith’s best friend, Mary Sue. Thus Faith and George met and eventually became life-long friends. George also became “Uncle George” to Faith’s daughter, Cynthia, whom he babysat when Faith took advanced education classes during several summers in San Francisco.
George became a Certified Public Accountant and, in that capacity, was the first CPA of Asian descent to be employed by an international oil company. He specialized in audits and was given major assignments abroad which took him to many European countries. Along the way, George developed an appreciation for French and Italian cuisines, wines, and opera. He was also fond of smooth cognacs and aromatic cigars.
During the ensuing decades, George and Cynthia maintained a close relationship which came to include Cynthia’s husband, Ronald Embry, M.D.
Before his final illness, George expressed the desire to honor Faith’s memory with additional scholarships for teachers. Thanks to his generosity, scholarships were established for undergraduate students, graduate students, and teachers. The Faith C. Ai Scholarship (aka Faith C. Ai Memorial Scholarship Fund) honors not only Faith’s career, but furthermore acknowledges the venerated roles that education and educators play in Asian cultures.
Despite experiencing a cerebral aneurysm at the age of 52, which resulted in the paralysis of his left side, George continued to work and enjoyed a happy and productive life. Ron and Cynthia cared for George for several decades and were with him when he passed away peacefully at the age of 90.