Arizona’s Sunnyside School District Governing Board received the Lou Ella Kleinz Award for Excellence from the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) Dec. 16, 2010 at the ASBA/Arizona School Administrators annual conference in Phoenix. The award honors the most outstanding educational leadership by a school board in the state of Arizona, and is the ASBA’s highest honor.

The Board has led the district’s development of Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage, which is becoming a state and national model. This year, the Board has led the Sunnyside District’s implementation of one-to-one computing, assigning computers to every fifth-grader and to every teacher. The Board has maintained its commitment to early childhood education with the continuing support of all-day kindergarten, the establishment this year of the Ocotillo Early Learning Center and continued support of Parents as Teachers. It has demonstrated its strong commitment to English Language Learners by approving a model of instruction that both meets the state mandates and best serves ELL students.

The Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board:
• President Louie C. Gonzales, appointed in 1990, elected in 1993, appointed in 2007, and elected in 2008. A 45-year resident, parent and grandparent of Desert View High School graduates and current Sunnyside District students, 10-year president of Liberty Elementary PTO.
• Clerk Magdalena Barajas, a Sunnyside High graduate who works as a special staff assistant for Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias, appointed in 2007 and elected in 2008 at age 24. The youngest member ever elected to the Board. Honored in 2008 by Arizona Daily Star’s 40 Under 40 and by Tucson YWCA as a Woman on the Move.
• Eva Carrillo Dong served as president for seven years during three terms since elected in 1999. A Sunnyside High graduate, superintendent of Pima County Accommodation District. Achieved Master of Boardsmanship. Active in state and nationally in LULAC and Federal Relations Network. ASBA All-Arizona School Board in 2008 and national Latina Leader in September 2010.
• Eric Giffin, elected for three four-year terms in 1995, 2001 and 2007. A long-time resident, parent of Desert View graduates, and leader in the Elvira and Sunnyside neighborhood associations. Achieved Master of Boardsmanship.
• Robert Jaramillo, elected for three terms since 1997. A long-time resident and Sunnyside High graduate, parent of Sunnyside High graduates, and a former Sunnyside District educator. Helped to create School Plus Jobs.

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