AGF Go Teacher of the Year

LOCAL TEACHER WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR TEACHING GO,

GOVERNOR GREEN PROCLAIMS JULY “THE MONTH OF GO”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 1, 2024

HONOLULU — Punahou School teacher Brian Johnson has been announced the winner of the prestigious American Go Foundation Teacher of the Year award, the first time a Hawaii resident has been named a winner of the award since its inception in 1996.

Johnson has been teaching the class, “Buddhist Philosophy and the Game of Go” at Punahou for the last 16 years. Lauded for his unique and innovative style of teaching, more than 180 Punahou students take his class each year, learning both practical strategy lessons related to the game alongside Eastern philosophy and ethical decisionmaking and self-reflection.

Governor Josh Green has declared July as “The Month of Go” for the State of Hawaii, recognizing the work of Johnson. This is likely the first time a sitting US Governor has officially recognized Go and the work of 45 million worldwide players and teachers in supporting one of the world’s oldest games.

“Join us in recognizing the game of Go and Go players around the world for furthering an enriching past time and a piece of global cultural heritage,” said Governor Green in his July 1st proclamation.

“Honestly, without this class, I don't know if I would have lasted in education as long as I have,” said Johnson, “Go can be a metaphor for many things: non-attachment, war, interconnectedness, creativity... the list is as varied as Go itself. But what I've found to be the most compelling is the ability for Go to build relationships between people.”

“We are so thankful to the American Go Foundation and Governor Green for recognizing the work that Brian has done in our community here in Hawaii,” said Honolulu Go Club President Sid Kobashigawa, “we continue to play with and welcome many former students of his to the club, which speaks to the impact he has had on many of Hawaii’s best and brightest.”

“Without Mr. Johnson, I may have never learned about Go,” said club member and former student Cameron Deptula (Punahou ’18), “beyond just helping me learn a game that is now a lifelong passion, Mr. Johnson’s lessons and my continued learning through playing Go have instilled in me the virtues of compassion, sincerity, and hard work that have helped me immensely in my academic and professional career—more so than any other class.”

The AGF Teacher of the Year award was created to “Encourage and recognize the many amateur players who are actively engaged in teaching Go to beginners.” Johnson will be honored on Thursday, July 18th at the American Go Association’s US Go Congress in Portland Oregon. There, he will be sharing his experience as an English teacher of 21 years in Hawaii with other instructors, go players, and enthusiasts from around the world.

Go (or baduk in Korean and weiqi in Chinese) is a board game first invented in China 4000 years ago and has a long history in the islands. Hawaii’s first go association was founded by the first generation of Japanese immigrants in 1917, called the Hawaii Kiin.

This organization was later officially recognized as a branch organization of the Nihon Kiin, Japan’s official organizational body for Go, in the 1980s.

Today, Go players from absolute beginners to a professional 9-dan (equivalent of a professional grandmaster in chess) meet from across the state to learn and play at the Honolulu Go Club, which Johnson helped to found in 2008, along with co-founder and current president Kobashigawa.

Hawaii residents who are interested in playing or learning more about go are welcome to join the Honolulu Go Club, which meets weekly on Saturdays from 1PM-5PM. For more information and to get in touch with the club, visit honolulugoclub.com.

The AGF announcement of the AGF Teacher of the Year award can be viewed here.

Governor Green’s proclamation for the month of July can be viewed here.