By Sara Beth Williams–
San Juan Unified School District honored several Citrus Heights educators at their annual You Light the Way awards ceremony on Wednesday evening, April 10 at San Juan High School.
Matthew Costa, a special education teacher at Mesa Verde High School, was among the honorees, along with fourteen special education teachers, support staff and instructional assistants from the special education team at Carriage Drive Elementary.
Sara Larian, moderate/severe special education teacher at Carriage Drive, said it was exciting to be honored at the awards ceremony and that she was grateful the entire team was honored, as opposed to one individual within the team.
Carriage Drive principal Elizabeth Holcomb originally nominated the entire team and echoed Larian’s sentiment.
“Each member is an integral part of ensuring the success of our students receiving special education services as well as those in the general education population,” Holcomb wrote in her nomination letter to the district.
The You Light the Way Award honors “outstanding individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to the district’s special education programs” said Raj Rai, director of communication with the San Juan Unified School District.
Rai said recipients are nominated by a variety of people, including school staff and teachers, parents and students, administrators, and local community members. Each nomination submission includes specific details regarding the nominee, which help determine decision making. The district’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC), along with special education department staff, review all nominations and select annual recipients, Rai said.
The full list of individuals and groups honored in the 2024 awards ceremony included at least one parent, multiple teachers, certified support staff, instructional assistants, and other classified staff. The entire list can be found on the district’s website.
The first You Light the Way award program was established in 1990 and the program is now in its 35th year, according to Rai.
