The Auburn School District Board of Directors will recognize Kaycee Valdez, a fifth-grader at Evergreen Heights Elementary School, for being an outstanding student at 7 p.m. Monday in the board room at the James P. Fugate Administration Building.
Kaycee is heavily involved in ASB, is a student librarian, student photographer, lunch helper and participates in the Global Reading Challenge.
She never hesitates to lend a helping hand. She is patient and gracious when helping others or leading a team. Kaycee perpetually displays an amazing, positive attitude. She always shows respect for others.
Kaycee puts her schoolwork first. She always turns in quality work and it is always on time. Math is Kaycee’s favorite subject because, she said, “I don’t see pictures in my head, I see numbers, so it is really easy for me.”
Last year, Kaycee participated in the Evergreen Heights school talent show. She created a poem and acted out the lyrics using her comic abilities. She brought down the house with her humor and natural talent.
Outside of school, she enjoys riding bikes and playing soccer.
According to Evergreen Heights Principal Anne Gayman, “Kaycee is a remarkable student who cares about others in a positive and encouraging manner. She is a one of a kind. I can’t wait to see what life has to offer her and how Kaycee will make her mark on the world.”
White recognized
The district also will recognize Kenny White, sculpture and painting teacher at Auburn High School, for his outstanding service on Monday.
White teaches sculpture and painting. He also has taught drafting, Web publishing, fabric design, jewelry, 2D design, drawing, and computer technology. White also serves as the building technology coordinator for Auburn High School.
White just started his 22nd year teaching at Auburn High School. He is looking forward to the new high school where his art classroom will have numerous windows. He participated on the design committee for the new high school.
White enjoys being the building technology coordinator.
“As building technology coordinator, I know everybody and get to meet all of the new staff,” he said.
The breadth of classes at Auburn High School has provided White the opportunity to broaden his own teaching field. Keeping up with curriculum and technology challenges him and he has had the opportunity for lifelong learning during his career at Auburn High.
Tom McDermott, assistant principal at Auburn High School said White “never fails to swoop in and save us from technology disasters.”
Prior to his teaching career in Auburn, White taught in Southern California. He also worked as a backcountry ranger in Colorado, and firefighter in California’s Sequoia and Kings National Park and the Lava Beds National Monument.
White is a third-generation teacher; both of his parents and his grandmother were teachers. White is married to Martha Robayo-White, ELL teacher at Cascade Middle School and they just celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary.
White’s two sons graduated from Auburn High School. Moss lives in Puerto Rico and Rocky is biking in Kyrgyzstan on a Bonderman Fellowship from the University of Washington.
