Awards to be presented at the Third Annual Gala on April 27, 2017
Presentation follows ALAS Legislative Assembly
The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) will recognize school district superintendents and administrators from across the nation at its third annual Leaders in Education Awards Gala, to be held April 27, 2017, in Washington, D.C.
Numerous education professionals, congressional representatives, and business leaders will attend the event at the Mexican Cultural Institute to celebrate best practices in public education, particularly in serving Hispanic populations. ALAS state affiliate members nominated superintendents and administrators whose work exemplifies the best in the field.
Following are the 2017 ALAS Leaders in Education Award winners:
• Latino Superintendent of the Year Dr. Michael Hinojosa, Superintendent Dallas Independent School District Dallas, Texas
• Hispanic-Serving School District Superintendent of the Year Dr. Barbara M. Jenkins, Superintendent Orange County Public Schools Orlando, Florida
• Latino Administrator of the Year Gloria Trejo, Principal Pioneer Elementary School West Chicago Elementary District 33 West Chicago, Illinois
• Hispanic-Serving School District Administrator of the Year Dr. Terry T. Walker, Director, Educational Services Upland Unified School District Upland, California
The Gala and awards ceremony will be held following a day-long Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly brings together leaders in education and policy to discuss innovative solutions to the challenges facing school districts and the students they serve. Participants will also visit Capitol Hill to discuss with congressional representatives and key policy-makers issues affecting their districts. This year, the Assembly intends to place special emphasis on preserving Department of Education funding, specifically programs related to teacher training and after-school programs, as well as continuing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) policy, which allows some immigrants who entered the country as minors to have deportation action deferred.
The Legislative Assembly is part of a larger initiative designed to bring a collective voice to national education issues, particularly those that impact Latino students and educators. While the high school drop-out rate of Hispanics has fallen, it still surpasses that of white, black and Asian students. About one third of the U.S. Latino population is under the age of 18, making a focus on their educational attainment a priority for ALAS. “This is a critical time for education, and we laud those who are on the front lines working side by side with our Latino students to help them be successful, said Dr. Nancy Lewin, ALAS executive director. “These leaders inspire me and our colleagues every day in their dedication to advance our mission – better educational opportunities for Hispanic youth.”
Following are the ALAS Leaders in Education Awards nominees:
- Dr. Cesar A. Morales, Superintendent Oxnard School District Oxnard, California
- Rodolfo Hernandez, Superintendent Cicero District 99 Cicero, Illinois
- Edward Xavier Barrios, Principal Haywood Elementary Nashville, Tennessee
- Dr. Alberto Vazquez Matos, Chief of Staff Hillsborough County Public Schools Tampa, Florida
- Dr. Juan Santos, Director, Student Support Services Conejo Valley Unified School District Thousand Oaks, California
- Dr. Charles W. Johns, Superintendent West Chicago Elementary District 33 West Chicago, Illinois
- Dr. Steven Martinez, Superintendent Twin Rivers Unified McClellan, California
- Dr. Lazaro J. Lopez, Associate Superintendent High School District 214 Arlington Heights, Illinois
About the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)
The ALAS mission is to provide leadership at the national level that assures every school in America effectively serves the educational needs of all students, with an emphasis on Latino youth, by building capacity, promoting best practices, and transforming educational institutions. ALAS was established in 2003 in response to a lack of national advocacy and representation of Latino students.
For more information, contact: Dr. Nancy Lewin, Executive Director, (202) 466-0808 or nlewin@alasedu.org
Further Reading
- Apopka Chief – OCPS superintendent will be honored at education awards gala
- Minneapolis Star Tribune – Teachers of color in high demand in Minnesota
- Chicago Sun-Times – Workshops help teachers cope with students’ immigration fears