On Thursday, Territorial Teacher of the Year for 2026 Elisaia Sualua Mailo was presented a copy of a House Concurrent Resolution that honors his exceptional service to the students of American Samoa and for the distinction of being selected as Territorial Teacher of the Year and 2026 Gilder Lehrman Teacher of the Year.

Mr Mailo, who was accompanied to the Fono by students of Tafuna High School where he teaches US History, World History and Advanced Placement US history, was honored by Speaker Savali Talavou Ale and members of the House. The resolution paying tribute to his outstanding career as an educator was introduced by Rep Malaeoletalu Melesio Gurr. Mailo is the son of Taai Mailo of Fagatogo and the late Lau Tafa Sose Mailo of Iva Savaii.

The resolution states that among his significant contributions to student achievement, Mr Mailo designed, initiated and implemented the Adopt a Student Intervention Program, an academic intervention to support struggling students which has subsequently inspired an intervention platform being used in Tafuna High School’s History Department.

The measure credits his efforts to expand rigorous academic opportunities for the students of American Samoa through his service as an adavanced placement US history teacher and has achieved the distinction of becoming the first advancement placement reader from American Samoa. This is a program that selects certified educators from across the nation to evaluate and score the free response sections of advanced placement exams taken by all Advance Placement high school students.