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Two outstanding classified employees of the San Diego Unified School District are about to shape the future of hundreds of students. With the assistance of the Board President Scholarships awarded to them this week, they will prepare to become the most important person in students’ lives--some who will be pursuing futures in technology and some who face major challenges every day.
Elisabeth Sriwarodom, a special education assistant at Lindbergh/Schweitzer Elementary School, and Richard Ojeda, microcomputer applications training specialist in the district’s Information Technology Department, are on their way to becoming exemplary new classroom teachers. The $1,000 scholarship checks were presented to them Tuesday at the Board of Education meeting by Robyn Quaco, marketing director for California Coast Credit Union. This is the 13th year the credit union has participated with the district by sponsoring these scholarships.
Board President Luis Acle introduced and the Board of Education honored the two future teachers, who are currently enrolled in college and who were chosen from a large field of deserving applicants.
Sriwarodom is majoring in special education and will be pursuing her credential and masters degree at Chapman College. She has worked as a classroom assistant in the resource specialist program for three years. Her first experience working with children was as an aide, when she as assigned to work with two sixth graders. She wondered what she was getting herself into. Never in her life had she contemplated becoming a teacher, let alone a special education teacher. When she met the two students, she knew she had found her calling.
“Lisa brings a special gift to all of the students,” wrote one colleague. “She is nurturing, but sets high expectations, and the students work diligently under her care. She has wonderful rapport with them. They know she is interested in their growth.”
She was commended by staff at her school for her “genuine desire to support and help students gain academic success. She understands the value of a student’s time and effectively uses her teaching time. She prepares how she will present curriculum so the students can easily follow the material.”
Ojeda is a product of the San Diego Unified School District who takes pride in the education he received here. He is attending the University of Phoenix and plans to earn his masters degree and teaching credential. Working in the district, he was able to identify his true calling—both academically and professionally. He serves as an IT trainer, teaching teachers, administrators, counselors, nurses, clerks and others who work with student information. He has taught classes to hundreds of district employees. His passion, drive and determination make him an excellent classified employee who will become an outstanding teacher, according to one co-worker.
Another colleague wrote, “Richard has an exceptional ability to create materials that meet the needs of employees and help them learn various applications in order to work more efficiently. As an instructor, Richard has built rapport with his classes by supporting students and answering their questions during and after class. He shows great patience when working with employees who are learning basic computer skills.”
These two talented, energetic, enterprising, hard-working, dedicated classified employees will soon have added power to improve lives and change the world: the power, in other words, of teachers.
