Gabby Salazar Kahawai, a third-grade teacher at Gonzales Community School, was presented a prestigious Milken Educator Award today during a surprise school assembly. Kahawai becomes one of more than 2,800 awardees in the life of the award, which is known as the Oscars of Teaching. "This is a thrilling moment in Gabby's career and one that all in our community celebrate. We are so excited for her and all those she has impacted at the school and in our community," said Superintendent Hilario "Larry" Chavez. Said Gonzales Principal Chris Lopez, "She is ebullient and a breath of fresh air in the classroom and for the profession."
Kahawai has worked for the district and at Gonzales since 2016, starting as a student-teacher there the year prior. "Her students love her. She has an open door for parents and colleagues alike, is always willing to lend a helping hand and has been our de facto on-site tech support for many years. Her families report to us that Gabby is a huge reason their students want to come to school. Her guiding hand creates an atmosphere of joy and caring around education. The relationships she builds with her students will impact their entire educational journey and beyond," Lopez said.
The Milken Educator Awards target early-to-mid career education professionals for their already impressive achievements and, more significantly, for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future.
"Gabby is an example for us all and we look forward to what tomorrow holds as she continues in the teaching profession," said Superintendent Chavez. “She is a rising star and embodies the excellence we strive for,” he said.
