Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) took the time to celebrate its wonderful staff on Oct. 13 at its 6th annual Arcadia Unified Staff Appreciation Night. The event took place at Arcadia High School (AHS), with the partnership of Foothill Credit Union.

The evening began with a pre-game tailgate with food and activities, hosted by the Arcadia Digital Communications Internship (DCI) program. Hundreds of staff and their guests gathered at the AHS rally court, where they were treated with catered Mexican food by Chanos. Event-goers partook in face painting, games, and photo opportunities. The staff spent time with loved ones and caught up with their fellow hard-working coworkers. 

“I worked at a booth at the tailgate passing out VIP passes to the attendees,” said DCI Intern sophomore Rianna Marquez. “It was very fun working for DCI and seeing staff from middle school and elementary school. I enjoyed seeing families come together to celebrate everything teachers do.”

Later in the evening, the staff and those accompanying them arrived at Salter Stadium to watch the Varsity Football team face off against Pasadena. Before the game began, the staff took a walk across the football field as the stands cheered them on. They formed a pathway to welcome the Varsity Football team, who made a running entrance from the tunnel. The Arcadia Marching Band made an appearance as well, as they played the patriotic “Star Spangled Banner”. 

The AUSD Teacher of the Year Don Young was also honored at this time. He was granted the role of honorary captain for the game and got the chance to perform the coin toss. Mr. Young is an educator at Foothills Middle School, where he is adored by his students.

“My time in AVID [Advancement Via Individual Determination] couldn’t be a greater experience. Mr. Young taught me and my peers to become independent,” said sophomore Lyann Chu, a former student of Mr. Young. “He opened my eyes to the outside world, introducing the topics of colleges and planning for the future. I will always be grateful for my two years spent as a student in his class.”

The event-goers were given exclusive access to watch the game at field level. Here they were able to enjoy performances by Varsity Cheer, who happened to be hosting Cheer Day. Younger students were full of energy as they cheered on the team alongside their high school mentors. The Arcadia Marching Band and Colorguard also took the field, putting on a spectacular halftime show for the audience.

The AUSD staff are truly talented in what they do, and our schools would not be the same without them. This one night of fun captures only a fraction of the gratitude that the students and district have for each and every one of AUSD’s dedicated staff members.

Photo courtesy of Arcadia DCI Interns Avani Athavale, Wesley Chen, Alaina Lee