OUSD Celebrates Outstanding Staff from Across the District at Annual Honoring Our Own Event

It was a night filled with loud cheers, enthusiastic applause, and warm congratulations for the more than 80 OUSD staff members and others who were recognized for their exemplary contributions over the past year. Every May, the District holds its Honoring Our Own event to celebrate the good work done in our schools and departments, and this year it happened at the Scottish Rite Center on May 7.

One by one, staff members from all parts of the District were announced by Board of Education Directors, and walked across the stage to receive their award and recognition. People from the Facilities department, Nutrition Services, Information Technology, Adult and Career Education, the Labor Relations team, and numerous other departments all heard enthusiastic ovations for their work in and for our schools.

Staff members were not the only honorees, as there are also Parent, Family, and Community Leadership Awards, and Excellence in Student Leadership Awards that went to six different students including the two Student Board of Education Directors, Michele Vasquez and Maximus Simmons. The pair also worked the stage where they introduced other honorees.

With each honoree, it was easy to see their dedication and how hard they work, and the kind of impact they have on their peers, their departments or schools, and our students.

These are videos that introduce all of our Classified School Employees of the Year, several of whom also won the same recognition from Alameda County. These videos were shown at Honoring Our Own.

The three Teachers of the Year who will serve for the 2025-26 school year are Maria De La Fuente-Moreno from Esperanza Elementary, Aly Kronick from Oakland International High, and Krista Toumi from Roosevelt Middle School. You can hear from each of them in this video, which like the Classified Staff videos, was produced by District TV station, KDOL.

One of the most memorable moments came at the end of the evening with the final honoree. Superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, who is winding down her tenure at the end of June, received a long and loving standing ovation as the Legacy Leadership Award winner. After hugging the Student Directors who introduced her, she told them that they are the reason she does the job. Then she gave direction and inspiration to all the staff in the room, "Just keep the work going. I mean, we’re all here, blood, sweat, and tears for the students. There’s still much more work to do. So, stay focused on the work. Stay focused on giving opportunity to our students because they deserve it. So, thank you very much. I love you."

Here is the complete event program with photos and details shared about each honoree.