PURPOSE Awards Shine a Spotlight on Kern County Education

Eleven individuals and teams whose work is making a difference for students, schools and communities were honored Thursday evening during the inaugural Kern County PURPOSE Awards at Bell Tower Plaza.

Hosted by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, the event brought educators, students, school leaders and community partners together to celebrate some of the people and programs helping strengthen education across Kern County.

The awards grew from Kern County Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Mendiburu’s vision to recognize those bringing KCSOS’ Purpose Statement to life through three key commitments — Educational Growth, Engagement and Support.

“This is about celebrating the people who are doing extraordinary work every day on behalf of students,” Mendiburu said. “Their stories remind us just how much there is to be proud of in Kern County education.”

Let’s meet each of this year’s PURPOSE Award winners.

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Cy Silver — Norris School District
Safer Schools Coalition Award

When schools began returning to normal routines post-pandemic, Cy Silver, Superintendent of Norris School District, noticed a vital piece missing from the transition back: comprehensive safety protocols.

“There’s foundational things you have to have in place for kids to be successful, and one of those is safety,” Silver insisted. “They have to come on campus and feel safe.”

Having attended Norris School District himself and later watching his children attend the same schools, Silver operates on a principle he believes every educator should care for their students as if they were your own child. 

His philosophy helped create the Northwest Safe Schools Coalition, a partnership between Fruitvale, Norris, Rio Bravo, and Rosedale school districts, and local law enforcement and fire agencies with a unified approach to safety. The schools began implementing hands-on training in active-assailant response, Run-Hide-Fight, Stop the Bleed, and standard response protocols across campuses.

“Really what we’re trying to do is build a comprehensive protocol for what people should know in every single role to prepare them for any safety issue,” Silver explained.

Under Silver’s guidance, school safety protocols go further than physical response and focused on strengthening prevention tactics. The coalition coordinated vulnerability assessments, security camera upgrades, digital mapping for emergency services, and proactive threat-assessment protocols. The partnership also led to the addition of two full-time School Resource Officers to serve participating districts.

Ensuring safe schools requires continuous preparation. For the past three years, Silver has brought district leaders and first responders together at least four times annually to share best practices, align emergency procedures, and reinforce real-time communication.

Educators and first responders are enthusiastic about the partnership.

“Cy is a humble leader who has strong convictions about what needs to be done for kids,” said Dr. Leslie Garrison, Fruitvale School District Superintendent, affirming Silver’s dedication to school safety.

The collaboration between the four neighboring school districts has since expanded into a regional blueprint. Silver now shares the coalition’s resources and frameworks with neighboring areas, extending a local effort into a broader model for collaboration and continuous improvement in school safety. 

At its core, Silver’s work comes down to a simple, enduring purpose: “I just find a ton of value and satisfaction in trying to do the best we can to provide a safe place for kids to go to school,” he said.

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Alana Villalpando — El Tejon Unified School District
Student Champion Award

As a fourth-grade student, Alana Villalpando kept her hand down and rarely spoke in class. She was struggling academically and preferred to sit in silence. Yet beneath her quiet exterior was a leader waiting for her moment to soar.

After two years of tutoring, practice and targeted support, Villalpando finally had a breakthrough. She increased her reading comprehension from a first-grade level to a fifth-grade level. Then, inspired by her progress, she stepped into the spotlight, thinking about how she could make a difference for everyone, including her family.

“I’m the oldest sibling, so I just wanna make sure my brother and my sister—they have a good school,” Villalpando said. “And also, I live in this community, so I want it to be the best it can.”

Villalpando became a Student Voice Ambassador at school, meeting weekly with other student leaders to address concerns such as bullying, cyberbullying, vaping and social isolation. She helped run the Up End Hate campaign, creating a public service announcement and student-led assemblies promoting kindness and inclusion. She was also inspired to organize a food packaging and distribution project for local McKinney-Vento families.

“We saw that everyone felt like the school was safer and the people were nicer,” she said about the Up End Hate campaign.

Those who watched her overcome personal struggles to advocate for others remain awestruck by her journey.

“You can see her just taking her wings and flying to wherever she wants to go,” said Laurie Oliver, Teacher and FFA Advisor at El Tejon School. “I’m super proud of her ‘cause she’s come so far, and she’s going places, you can tell just by how she carries herself.”

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Johnny Melendez — KCSOS
Student Champion Award

Johnny Melendez never thought he would have a career working on vehicles. After spending time in a juvenile justice facility, he believed his chances of having a thriving career were gone. Today, all of that has changed. Melendez proudly works for KCSOS Transportation, proving that any narrative can be rewritten into a story of success.

Melendez graduated from KCSOS’ RISE (Reaching Individual Success through Education) program at Central School, located within Kern County’s Youth Detention Center, formerly Juvenile Hall. He was later assigned to the Crossroads facility as part of the APEX program, where he enrolled in weekend Electric Vehicle (EV) Auto Trades Workshops facilitated by RISE Career Technical Education (CTE).

“I was so eager to join, because I knew I could make myself something out of it,” Melendez reflected. “I knew that was my way out. I knew that was going to open the doors for me to be successful in life, and they trusted me.”

For two years, Melendez consistently showed up, developing his skills in electric vehicle technology while building the professional readiness needed for a lifelong career. His dedication caught the attention of KCSOS Transportation supervisors, who mentored him and helped him gain the experience needed for employment in the department.

When a job opening appeared, Melendez knew it was his chance. Today, he has turned the hands-on training and mentorship he received through RISE into a full-fledged career with KCSOS Transportation.

“Seeing Johnny come from the Electric Vehicle program to jumping onto big yellow school bus machines has been extremely rewarding—not only for him, but for all of us as a team to see him grow and adapt,” Alan Button, KCSOS Fleet Manager said.

Melendez’s story is now shared with current RISE students as a powerful reminder of what persistence can achieve.

“I never thought I was going to be someone like this,” Melendez shared. “Especially having a record, I thought this type of lifestyle, this type of career, was done for me. But I never gave up on it.”

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Mia Salas — Highland High School
Student Champion Award

All the way in New York City, performing at the Minskoff Theatre alongside the most talented high school theatre students in the country, was Mia Salas, a Highland High School student who rose through the ranks for her performance as Eurydice in Hadestown: Teen Edition.

While Salas has made local, state, and national history, she has ensured her success serves as a beacon of encouragement for others.

“Mia has set the blueprint for what is capable here at Highland High School,” said Justin Thompson, Highland High School Theatre Instructor.

Her artistry and dedication reached new heights this past school year when she became the first Bakersfield student nominated for the prestigious National High School Musical Theatre Awards—also known as the Jimmy Awards—in New York City. Her standout performance as Eurydice earned her Best Actress at the Rita Moreno Awards, earning her a spot at the Jimmy Awards. She also won a PEAAK Award for Outstanding Performance in a Musical.

Salas’ passion for performing has been with her since she was a toddler.

“I’ve always had that essence of wanting to perform on a stage, to be able to sing,” Salas recalled. “My mom’s always told me that I’ve been such a performer.”

Her journey to Broadway has been thrilling for her—and for everyone watching.

“Seeing her on the Minskoff Theatre stage… I sat right next to her dad,” said Thompson. “It felt like we were both just equally as proud because I got to watch him be proud of his kid, and for me being her teacher, I felt like I couldn’t be more proud.”

But Salas’ influence off the stage is what truly defines her leadership. She manages Highland Theatre’s Instagram account to shine a light on fellow students, regularly mentors younger performers, and volunteers through the PLAID Advocacy Center. She is also frequently spotted in the audience, enthusiastically cheering on classmates at plays, concerts, and campus events.

Her perspective remains rooted in gratitude: “Any sort of recognition is beautiful and empowering. I’m just really grateful,” Salas said.

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Achievement Leaders — Kernville Union School District
Student Success Award

Classroom transformation thrives on strong peer collaboration. As Achievement Leaders in the Kernville Union School District, Sarah Cole, Sheila Gallis, Jonathan Chris Lassen, Stacey Sanders, Meg Hairell, and Alicia Wild exemplify that commitment through their daily support of fellow educators.

Working alongside new and veteran teachers and support staff, the team provides direct, hands-on guidance. Whether modeling lessons, fine-tuning classroom management, co-planning, or analyzing student data through the district’s “What I Need Now” intervention and enrichment model, their focus remains on empowering educators so students can thrive.

“An Achievement Leader is everyone’s champion,” said Achievement Leader Meg Hairell. “I want to be able to reach every single kid on our campus and that starts with our teachers. If we can reach our teachers, they can pour into our students as well.”

Teachers credit the team’s individualized coaching and consistent expectations across grade levels with giving educators the tools and confidence to meet every child’s unique needs.

“We want to really create systems that last with the students, so we use lots of tactile ways to train students and to make those connections,” Achievement Leader Sheila Gallis said. “We also build that over the years so it gets more and more complex.”

Data shows the Achievement Leaders are making a difference. On the 2025 California Dashboard, districtwide performance rose 24.1 points in English language arts and 11.3 points in mathematics, alongside decreases in suspensions. More than 74% of students improved their ELA CAASPP scores from the previous year, while 63% improved in math. Chronic absenteeism also fell from 36.53% in 2024-25 to 28.54% in 2025-26.

Yet for the Achievement Leaders, the true reward is seeing their community flourish.

“I just do the work that I do because I love kids and I really want to pour into this valley,” Gallis said. “It’s really nice to be recognized, but the work that we’re doing here, we do for the love of the community.”

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Michelle Blalock — Kern High School District
Focus Award

When students know they have a network they can depend on for care and community, they thrive. For students experiencing homelessness or navigating the foster care system, even basic resources can sometimes be out of reach, leaving them especially vulnerable.

As Kern High School District’s (KHSD) McKinney-Vento and Foster Youth Liaison, Michelle Blalock has dedicated her career to ensuring that life’s hardest circumstances never stand in the way of a student’s education. She leads a compassionate, highly coordinated network of care for young people experiencing homelessness and those navigating the foster care system.

Her vision and leadership have expanded KHSD’s internal support capacity, embedding dedicated social workers and designated counselors across high schools. Blalock also supports the Youth Empowering Success (YES) program, which empowers foster youth through mentorship, leadership development, college and career exploration, and essential life-skills training.

“The idea was really to have that one caring adult, and then it grew into field trips and having guest speakers, and they come together for lunch and just feel they are not alone,” said Blalock about the YES program.

During the 2025-26 school year alone, Kern High School District identified and served approximately 952 students experiencing homelessness including 348 unaccompanied youth and about 355 foster youth. Behind these figures are real lives supported by Blalock’s strong collaborations with school staff, social workers, county agencies, probation officers, caregivers, and local organizations. Together, they help ensure students have immediate access to school enrollment, reliable transportation, essential supplies, clothing, hygiene items, and critical mental health support.

While Blalock’s impact reaches across the community, her heart remains grounded in service and humility.

“There are a lot of students and families out there in need, and I think there’s something all of us can do to support one another,” Blalock said. “A lot of what I do is more behind the scenes, so I’m very honored that my district would see what I’m doing and want to recognize me in this way.”

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Jennifer Ayers-Freeman — CTEC, Kern High School District
Bright Future Spark Award

When Jennifer Ayers-Freeman changed careers from nursing to teaching, her first year tested her, as any major career pivot does. Guided by a lifelong passion for health care and a drive to do things for the right reasons, she quickly found her footing. In just four years as CTEC’s Introduction to Health Careers instructor, Ayers-Freeman has redefined what career technical education looks like for Kern High School District students through the creation of a powerhouse medical pathway program.

“I’m really passionate about doing my job, nursing, well, and doing it for the right reasons,” Ayers-Freeman shared.

Ayers-Freeman is the mastermind behind CTEC’s milestone partnership with Kern Medical Center. Through an immersive three-week job-shadowing experience, every student in her Introduction to Health Careers program gains direct access to hospital floors, rotating through multiple departments to see the medical field in action.

“I can tell them stories from when I was a nurse for days, but getting to actually see it happen in real life with people who are still doing that job, that’s the point where they’re like, ‘Absolutely, I have to do this,’” Ayers-Freeman said.

Ayers-Freeman also launched CTEC’s HOSA chapter, an organization that helps students interested in healthcare develop leadership skills. Participation grew from 20 student members to nearly 100 in a single year. Her students engage with cutting-edge Anatomage technology to study anatomy — technology that most health professionals in training don’t encounter until college. Under her mentorship, students step into leadership roles, serve their community, and test their skills on competitive stages.

“She’s just really passionate about her job and loves what she’s doing, and I think that’s honestly the most important thing about a classroom, just the teacher,” said Khalid, a student of Ayers-Freeman and CTEC HOSA Vice President. “She’s actually such an amazing teacher, probably the best one I’ve ever had.”

By bridging classroom learning with authentic industry pathways, Jennifer Ayers-Freeman is helping prepare the next generation of medical professionals before they even walk the stage.

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School Parenting Partners Leadership Team — El Tejon Unified School District
Heart of Education Family Partnership Award

Raymond Roldan, a parent in the El Tejon Unified School District, was originally skeptical of joining the Parenting Partners Leadership Workshops because he worried it might criticize his parenting skills. He eventually found it enlightening and became one of its biggest supporters.

Through Parenting Partners Leadership Workshops, families receive guidance in positive parenting, communication, discipline and ways to help children succeed, while learning the skills and information needed to take more active roles in the school community. Rachelle Roldan, Katie Gonzalez, Corey Hansen, Jessica Brown and Martha Cortez have helped transform family engagement at El Tejon from participation into parent leadership.

Roldan explained how the workshop benefits parents: “The things that we don’t do right, we have a chance to work on them, identify them, because, unless we identify a problem, we can’t fix it,” he said.

When parents complete the Parenting Partners Leadership Workshop, the school puts the participant’s family photo on the wall with the message “I am a Parent Champion!” Other parents were intrigued by the recognition and sought out how to join the group, helping increase parent participation and input from 12% to 83%. School events grew to standing-room-only gatherings within a year. During the same period, chronic absenteeism declined from 29% to 7%.

“Building the partnership really lets the kids know that we’re here, we’re talking, and that parents are here,” Principal Corey Hansen said.

Parents now coach sports teams, lead after-school enrichment, support field trips and performing arts, and connect the school with community businesses and resources. Hansen said the program has also changed the way families view students’ time at school.

“Now it’s like one big seamless connection,” Hansen said. “It’s really nice for the kids to know ‘Everybody’s looking out for you, because everybody cares about you.’ That culture is really what El Tejon is about.”

Parents who complete the program are prepared to mentor and lead future groups, creating a sustainable model in which families help shape opportunities for students and strengthen connections between school and community.

“The idea that we’re all doing it together and everybody is part of the success is amazing,” Hansen beamed.

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Stacey Stansberry — Taft Union High School District
Community Bridge Builder Award

Throughout her distinguished career, Stacey Stansberry has stood at the crossroads of technology, instruction, and community action, bridging the gap between student needs and the resources required to meet them.

Her vision and decisive leadership shone brightest during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing early that internet access was essential to learning, she spearheaded the implementation of free internet access for students and families across Taft and surrounding West Side communities from a 150-foot wireless communications tower. Her foresight laid a lasting foundation: to this day, Taft Union High School District (TUHSD) continues to provide affordable internet access to local families.

“Stacey is that person who is always asking the question, ‘How do we help our kids?’” shared Dr. Jason Hodgson, Superintendent of Taft Union High School District. “Stacey is that servant-hearted, the ultimate community bridge builder.”

Stansberry also led the district’s transition to a one-to-one device ratio, championing teachers as they adapted to online instruction.

“She knew well before anybody asked the question,” Dr. Hodgson said, reflecting on Stansberry’s early initiative. “If we’re gonna get to kids, we need a learning management system, and we need Chromebooks.”

Her strategic leadership has strengthened instructional and data systems, contributing to measurable gains in student achievement. Under her guidance, English language arts scores jumped 14.6 points on the California School Dashboard, mathematics scores climbed 6.5 points after five years of decline, and the College and Career Indicator surged by 8.4%.

For many years, she has also served as the Community Schools Liaison, connecting families with vital dental and vision services. Beyond TUHSD, she mentors new educators as an adjunct faculty member at CSU Bakersfield. Stansberry believes true progress is a shared endeavor.

“We are the center of the community because we work with the community so well,” Stansberry said, referring to TUHSD. “It takes all of us together to make the best system for the students.”

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Delano Union School District Instructional Programs Department
Golden Apple Visionary Leadership Award

Daily, weekly, and monthly incentives can be a factor in attendance growth and student success, but so can data from the last 48 hours. At Delano Union School District, educators are using recent data—from academics to attendance—to review student progress and identify areas for improvement.

Through the initiative Promise 180: Every School Day Counts, the district’s Instructional Programs Department set out to redefine student success by tackling the root causes behind low attendance, achievement, and engagement. The team turned regular reviews of attendance, academic progress, and engagement data into proactive care. By measuring student growth from the last few days, weeks, and years, educators have the most up-to-date picture of student progress.

April Gregerson, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Programs noted, “If you just look at what the data can tell you, it can help you weed out things that are not needing to be a key focus and target the things that do.”

Jose Maldonado, Director of Data Analysis agreed, saying the data can catch where stagnation could possibly happen, giving educators a more refined look at where students may need additional support.

In response, vice principals, nurses, and social workers reach out to families to ensure students have the health and emotional support they need, Gregerson explained.

The impact of this work is evident in the district’s metrics. Chronic absenteeism plummeted from 28.7% to 4.77%. Academic progress followed a similar trajectory: In English language arts, performance leaped from 23.4 points below standard to 0.1 points above standard, while mathematics performance rose from 67.2 points below standard to 37.3 points below standard.

The turnaround has captured statewide and national attention, culminating in an invitation for the Instructional Programs team to share its work with the California State Board of Education in November 2025.

“Everything we do at my school, and I would say within the district, is strategic, targeted, and purposeful, to help the students grow,” said Karen Mayberry-Weirather, Principal of Harvest Elementary School.

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Kyle Kuhlmann — Regional Occupational Center, Kern High School District
Golden Apple Visionary Leadership Award

Opportunities at the Kern High School District (KHSD) Regional Occupational Center are evolving alongside the technology industry. The Drone Operator & Entrepreneurship program at KHSD’s Regional Occupational Center, created and taught by Kyle Kuhlmann, prepares students for growing tech industry opportunities through hands-on drone pilot training, industry certifications, and practical business skill development.

Students tackle the rigorous coursework required to earn their FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate during their first semester. This industry-recognized credential gives high school students immediate professional standing, opening doors to employment or advanced training before they even walk across the graduation stage.

“Kids want to learn with their hands. They kinda need it,” Kuhlmann said. “With drones, there’s so many hands-on opportunities for them.”

The curriculum relies on strategic partnerships with local industry leaders and the KHSD Facilities & Planning Department. Students work on real-life assignments, including high-precision 3D facility scanning.

Kuhlmann recently added precision agriculture to the curriculum. Through an industry partnership, he secured the donation of an advanced J100 agricultural spray drone and brought company representatives to campus to demonstrate cutting-edge field applications and discuss careers with students.

By pairing modern aerial technology with business education and professional experience, Kuhlmann empowers students to explore careers across industries with their drone certificate.

“Drones are used in almost every industry sector, so if we can teach the kids all about drones, and how to create a business around it and get them certified and licensed here while they’re in high school, there’s so many opportunities for them after high school,” Kuhlmann said.

His students have already expressed interest in pursuing drone work professionally. Kuhlmann’s vision remains simple yet powerful.

“I’m just really excited to set these kids up, so that way when they graduate from here, they have a pretty awesome springboard to help them jump into their future,” he said.