We apologize to December’s ASD Outstanding Staff Member of the Month and Outstanding Student of the Month for inadvertently missing publishing their announcement.
At the regularly scheduled December 10 School Board Meeting the Auburn School District Board of Directors recognized Bernie Botz as December’s Outstanding Staff Member of the Month and Samuel Barahona as the Outstanding Student of the Month. Botz is a head custodian at Washington Elementary, and Barahona is a fifth-grade student at Pioneer Elementary.
Bernie Botz
ASD Outstanding Staff Member of the Month, December 2021
Botz has worked for the ASD for over 30 years and spent all of those years at Washington Elementary. Previously, Botz worked in the Renton and San Juan Island school districts.
Botz has served under five principals at Washington Elementary, including principal Gelinda Williams. “This is such a well-deserved honor. Bernie is an incredibly dedicated and hardworking member of our Washington team,” Williams said.
Botz said Washington Elementary is like a family and it’s important for children to see the adults working together like a family. He enjoys building relationships with the students and is happy about serving as a male role model for them.
Additionally, Botz is the Green Team supervisor, the Emergency Preparedness Logistics Team Leader, and has served on the Educational Specifications Subcommittee for Elementary #15.
Botz graduated with a degree in general art from the University of Washington. He and his wife Julie, a teacher at Lakeland Hills, bought a house in Auburn back in 1989, halfway between his parents and her parents.
They have two children who both graduated from Auburn High. Daughter Kaela is a counselor at Ilalko and son Bernie is a tax attorney. They have a 3-year-old granddaughter and a grandson who was due January 1.
In his off time, Botz likes printmaking and working in charcoal and oil pastels. He’s also active in the community, serving for multiple years as a judge for the Reflections Art entries at several schools, was a volunteer art docent at Washington, and also taught flag etiquette for 5th Grade Camp.
Samuel Barahona
ASD Outstanding Student of the Month, December 2021
Barahona’s teachers describe him as kind, hardworking and empathetic. He’s constantly willing to step up and help struggling students because he wants everyone to feel included. He goes out of his way to make friends with a new student and shows empathy when peers have a rough time.
“I am honored to know Samuel and so proud of him. He deserves this recognition,” his teacher John Markwell said.
While some students struggled during online learning, Barahona excelled. Online learning helped him focus and it was like a light switch turned on. He completed all of his work and asked great questions for clarity.
When he’s learning something new, Barahona wants to know the how and why behind what he’s learning, not just an answer to the problem.
Samuel’s favorite subject is math, especially adding and multiplying. Outside of school he likes to play soccer, play on his PlayStation 4, and has an interest in learning karate. He wants to be a YouTuber when he grows up.
Congratulations Bernie and Samuel!
Be First to Comment