I'm limited. Just look at me. I'm limited. I truly have always believed if you wanna positively impact the future, you do it through education. And it all starts, where you're gonna get your bases, where you're gonna start thinking about what you wanna do in the future. And to be able to be a part of that is just it's inspiring. This community is an anomaly. It's a community full of people who have heart, who care about each other. The community rallies together with the one high school, always the future Griffin mindset into
that kind of culmination of who you are carries on well beyond your years here. As a student, Losal has changed me for good. As a coach, as a teacher, as an administrator, and now as a dad, Losal has changed me for good. I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. I had taught in other districts before I came to Weber, but I feel I
came into my own when I started here at La Salle because La Sallemetos is so innovative. There's a spirit of connectedness and excellence in the community, and there's nowhere else I'd rather be. There's been nothing like growing up in La Sallemetis. It was absolutely a choice. My dad worked for the government. We came here early on. I opened Rossmore School as a second grader, not a second grade teacher, a second grader. I don't think it's dramatic to say that I wouldn't be at all who I am without Los Al, the district, the school, all the people here.
My friends always used to make fun of me, actually. Al is my home. I'm so proud to be Los Al homegrown. I have stayed here. I went to LAE, and then I went to McAuliffe where my mom works. There's so many families, there's students, there's colleagues that make every day here feel like home. And we are led to those who help us most to grow. I'm very lucky. Not only do I work in the school district, but all three of my children
were Ross Morneitz, Oak Lions, and Los Al Gryphons. It was kind of never a question that I would send my kids to the school, ever. Such great people and opportunities. As a mom, I couldn't been more proud to have my children attend the same elementary school that I taught at. To be able to have so much pride to say that my children are orphan grads is, you know, it puts this big smile on my face. It's come full circle in the fact that I have students who are choosing now to come to La Salle with their families and teaching their kids.
Having the opportunity to not just be next to him as my dad, but next to him as a colleague was an absolute dream come true and the greatest thing that could ever happen to me, in my career as a teacher. I have been so lucky to work here alongside my mom who literally sat 10 feet across from me. And for five years, we got to be office mates, which is really special. And We'd walk along the the quad area. Students would holler out, mister Arnold, mister Arnold.
And usually, it's that mister Arnold that they wanna say hi to. Something that to me makes LaSalle so special is the people. Being a teacher at Oak for over twenty years has changed me in such a deep and impactful way because I've been able to meet the most amazing people that have inspired me. I have been so fortunate to work alongside just the epitome of masterful educators who give and are just so excited to provide extraordinary opportunities to all kids.
Doctor Pulver always says that people are the hallmark of this district, and it's so true. This community has really felt like home and felt like such a special place to get to come back to. I always say that the job that I do here gives more back to me than what I give to it. There's so many people that I feel have helped me in my professional development here now that I'm a teacher. There's so many opportunities now where I get to keep keep in touch with with former players and former students, and now I get to hire them. There's one student in particular that, reached out to me and said, I wanna become
a teacher, and can you help me with that? And she kept saying to me, because I felt like you encouraged me to be a better reader and a better student, that's exactly what I wanna do for other kids. But I know I'm who I am today because I knew you. All my teachers have believed in me, not just in learning, but in myself as a person. A person that has definitely changed me for good is Doctor. Schmidt because he just makes me feel like I matter and everyone else matters.
Rossmore helped me discover I should try to be more positive instead of, like, focusing on the negative. About a couple months ago, I had a problem. I couldn't speak up for myself, and I went to mister Schmidt's room. One person that made the last impact on me is mister Ankoop. I joined ASB this year, and it helped me get more confident and throw myself out there. The person that has changed me for good is, miss Brown or the ladies in the office because every time I walk in the office, they always make me happy.
Miss Grady had taught me, like, if I do make a a mistake, it's okay. And if I need help, I can just ask for it. For the person I am choosing right now is my fourth grade teacher, mister Eunau. He just made pretty much anything fun no matter if it was like a field trip, it was math. No matter what it was that we were doing at school, he always just made it better for us, and I'm pretty sure everyone Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun. Each student that you have, I think teaches you a little something that you take
with you forever. The students are amazing that I've been able to work with. And not only do I feel like I make an impact in their life, but for sure their impact on my life has been huge. As a coach, there are small moments almost every day that reaffirm why you do it. Make a stream that meets a folder halfway through the wood. When I look back on all my years of teaching, I think the group that will stick with me the most is, my COVID group.
Those kids that would come into my class during, our, like, hybrid time, they were, like, the raddest kids ever. I think what it showed me is that kids are resilient. I'm internally in awe of each and every single one of them because those are the students who are not gonna let life tear them down. Sometimes people are like, oh, these kids these days, but we teach really cool kids. I have been changed for good.
What I appreciated as a parent here and bringing my children here was the dedication that we have to the whole child. It's not just about academics. A lot of people think that school is just a place where you learn academically, but that's just a very narrow way to look at things. I truly believe that Los Alamos offers opportunities for every kid here. I transferred to the Los Alamitos Unified School District when I heard about their, fire technology and emergency response program. When you try these new things, you become more knowledgeable about them.
You become less afraid about them. And I found this my sophomore year when I met mister Kayotti, and I started coming to chess club and cash flow club, and that honestly gave me, like, a great foundation in order to communicate with others. I would say mister Webman has changed me. I would say we definitely will keep in touch even after high school and after all this EMT work. Looking back on my time in this district, someone that changed me for the better was definitely Mrs. Schanacker. She really brought out a different side of everyone in ASB. She wanted us all to be super positive and kind and bring that to surround
everybody on campus at Lo Sal. Being on the twenty twenty four national championship winning varsity song team has really made me realize that a team is only as strong as the environment you create for yourself. The community support for not only song, but, like, for every sport, I feel like is really strong and really, like, unreal. We come back from Florida and everyone here is also proud of us, and we have teachers saying, oh, we watched the dances in class and we were supporting, like, cheering for you guys. Being a part of this, CIF championship team really helped me, take pride in certain
things. We were wanting to go and win for our school, not just for ourselves and, like, bring home the title for Los Al and the name that was on our chest. Having something, you know, wrap up my chest, obviously, like, we wear it every single game, but, like, it has, like, a deeper meaning to it. The support that we got, not just from our teammates, but also, like, other teachers and other staff members, like, running the mile. Mister Burger would be out there and being like, let's go girls. Just keep it going. In our semifinal game here, our last home game of our CIF run, we had over 50 alumni of the program.
We had teachers from all three levels of our district, previous head coaches. And our community in general provides an opportunity for people to take pride. The people end up investing back into the school and the community and it becomes a snowball effect. So much of me is made of what I learned None of our success would be possible without the people who support us as well, the behind the scenes aspect of our school and community.
Well, I actually grew up in Los Alamitos, graduated in 'seventy nine, and, I just kinda did a full circle. I actually got hired here as a bus driver, some 27 ago. In this field, there's always something different. Every day is different, and that's what I really enjoy about my job. I started out out working at LaSalle as a cafeteria cook. I get to know, a lot of kids. Teacher may see the kid only for one year, but I get to take care of the kid for five or six years. Being here a long time, I was able to build relationship with my student and
parents more than just being the bus driver. I was mister h, and that's what I appreciate about the district well, a sense of family and community. You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart. Even though, my copy job of twenty five years does not seem like a big job, I've come to realize that it does matter and it has changed me for the good to help you. My hands touch pretty much everything that the district buys.
So computers, for example, go through this school, it all touches my hands when it comes through and then I get it over to the place that it needs to go to. The work that we do as school nurses in the district is so important, and I know all the nurses in our district feel the same way that we really just want to impact our students by helping them learn to be healthy because students have to be healthy to learn. Our program extended day care really is the the glue to the district. I mean, we take care of them in the morning. We we take care of them till the very end of the day.
My mom and my grandma were both teachers, and I was determined that that's not what I was going to do, until working with kids at Kids Corner developed me into wanting to be a teacher. It's a different vibe and definitely within Loesel, extended daycare, and even any department, you see that connection and those bonds and relationships that are just made and strengthened day after day. And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being
my friend. Working in the district office, a lot of what we do is behind the scenes. And oftentimes, I think people forget how closely we can work with students and how much we're impacted by them. I work with the child development center, and I'm so passionate about being able to give them a rich experience in learning and being able to give back to a great district that has given me and my family such, an amazing experience. As far as our family goes, we have a special needs child, Ryan.
He came here to the high school and Karen Moffett and Rick Rosher have embraced him. Life skills is an amazing program. Thirty years ago when I started at Low Sal, it wasn't a thing. The more students we receive, the more I was knocking on the admin door going, I gotta do this. This is me. At Los Alamitos Elementary School, we have a rep program to take care of the special needs kid. They are the one that make me wanna work even, you know, harder to take care of them.
Every single time I've had a weird ask, people said, let's do that. I had a student who was nonverbal, who desperately wanted to be in choir. By senior year, they had to move her away from the microphones because she had gained so much confidence that she was singing. I also feel so lucky to be part of the Gryffinds event that we do every year where we really get to celebrate these students. And I think every year, it's my favorite day of the year and something that really has changed me for good.
Good doesn't just happen when there's cameras and people watching. Good happens all the time, every day. And people aren't recognized for it, but it happens anyway because it's Lo Sal, and that's what we do. Because I know you. Because I know you. Because I knew you, Jason Farber. Geralyn Kuhar. Annie Allen. Sondra Bright. Because I knew you, miss Fox. Miss Searsman. Missus Walters. Because I knew you, miss Weatherman. Mister Brown.
Coach Berger. Because I knew you, Eddie Quartermarsh. Because I knew you, Amy Colty. Lance Malinowski. My family. My LaSalle colleagues and mentors. And because I knew you, Carol Hart, I have been changed for good. Because I knew you, Cara Vienna, I've been changed for the better with your leadership, kindness, laughter, and the way you love students. Thanks for being the best. Well, because I knew you, Tony Avalos, I do I do look up to you and admire you quite a bit. Thanks, buddy. Because I knew you, Stephanie White, I have been changed for good.
Because I knew you, miss Bellander, I now have the skills and the confidence to become the AFC president next year. Because I knew you coach Jen, I have learned to always lead with confidence and always believe in myself. Because I know you coach I learned how to always look at the bright side of things and to keep a happy spirit. Because I knew the Weaver staff that I've grown with. Because I knew you, my fourth grade team, Kirk Moretti and Chelsea, I have been changed for good. God, it is emotional. Because I knew you, Kelly Raffae. Nicole Pichardo. Because I knew you, doctor Stewart.
Ryan Wiesright. Because I knew you, Andrew Pulver. You've taught me so much about leadership, about giving your heart, and mixing intellect, curiosity, and passion together to come up with the best solutions. It is an honor to work for you as my superintendent. Because I knew you, Phil Bourne, you're always looking out for me. When you need somebody to work, I'm the first person you call. I appreciate it. Because I knew you, Roberta Tuggle. I still see you within the program, and I see your legacy within the district
and our families and staff. Because I knew you, Lori Avalos. Melissa Davis. Elvia Schnur. The rep program at LEE. Our adult transition program. Because I knew you, Grace Carrillo, I've been changed for good. Because you are so incredible with our students that you inspire me to be better. Because I knew you, Sherry Cropp, I have been changed for good. Because I knew you, Stacy Mitre, I was able to follow my lifelong dream and become a high school teacher. Because I knew you, Mr. Kayati and Griffin News class of 2025, I've become a more confident, competent, and skilled
person. Because I knew you, Madame Whitfield, I'm now minoring in French in college and hopefully going to be living in France in the future. Because I knew you, missus Franzine, I learned how to be confident in myself, bring positivity into every situation, and always be at peace. Because I knew you, my Oak Line family, our child development team. Because I knew you, Andrea Reid. Anna Williams. Shoshana Dornblazer. Jennifer Quan. Because I knew you, LaSalle, you've been my community my whole life. Because I knew you, Dan Bennett, you've helped unbelievably with this program.
It really wouldn't be what it is without your tireless work. I hope that I can do a quarter of the impact you've made by the time I end up retiring. Because I Knew You, Kelli Ohtani. John Barnes. Jenny Wampler. Because I Knew You, Jill Cruz and Evan Grandin. Linda Lamparco. Miss Linda. Josh Samuels. Mister Josh, I've been changed for good. Well, because I knew you and know you, Jake, I have been changed forever. Sure, we won't become millionaires being teachers, but we are definitely guiding the doctors, the
architects, the accountants of tomorrow. Because I knew you, Adrian Reynolds, I have been changed for good. Because I knew you, school psych and counseling team, I have been changed for good. You guys are an incredible, incredible support system and I couldn't ask for a better work family. Love you. Because I knew you dad, I was changed for good because you've continuously shown me what excellence as a teacher looks like and the kind of positive role model that our kids need going forward with these next generations. Because I knew you, each and every one of you, I have been changed for
good. Los Alamitos Unified has been changed for good. For