SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Ernest J. King High School teacher Paul Brennan won the Japan District Teacher of the Year Award, a school spokeswoman announced Wednesday.

One teacher from each Department of Defense Education Activity district is selected for the honor after being nominated, then completing an application and interview process. A parent, Cmdr. Paul Macri, nominated Brennan.

In Sasebo three years, Brennan teaches Model United Nations, journalism, contemporary issues and government (including advanced placement) at the high school.

Approximately 1,000 teachers work in the Japan District, the spokeswoman said. Brennan now is eligible for the DODEA Teacher of the Year Award.

E.J. King students honored

SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Ernest. J. King High School freshman Kate Kremer’s efforts helping the Religious Ministries department led to her being named Sasebo Naval Base’s volunteer of the month for May.

Kremer, a musician, plays for the chapel choir and both Catholic and Protestant services each week. Nominated by Lt. Megan Miller from the Navy Branch Health Clinic, she will receive the award at a 3:30 p.m. Monday ceremony at base headquarters.

Also, freshman Clara Martin recently received honorable mention in the United States Institute of Peace’s national peace essay contest. Students entering the contest conducted research and prepared essays on “Transitions to Democracy.”

Martin is the only student from the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, Pacific Region, recognized in the contest.

HH-60 helicopter still grounded

The cause of an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter’s emergency landing Tuesday on Kume Island remains undetermined, according to an Air Force spokesman.

A maintenance crew performed an engine ground run Wednesday but halted its work shortly before nightfall, the spokesman said. The helicopter must be cleared by the maintenance crew before it can return to Kadena Air Base.

The helicopter landed at 12:45 p.m. Tuesday on a dirt road along the north shore of Kume Island, about 50 miles west of Okinawa.

Multiple warning lights signaled a malfunction while the helicopter flew over water, forcing it to land at the first safe opportunity, officials said.