Santa Maria-Bonita honors educators at 2nd annual awards gala.

The Santa Maria-Bonita Unified School District held its second annual "Excellence in Education" awards gala on Friday, recognizing 28 district employees across three categories; top honorees mentioned at the event included Katie Ibarra and Lucy Castaneda.

The Santa Maria-Bonita Unified School District held its second annual "Excellence in Education" awards gala to recognize school employees who go above and beyond. The event is a new district tradition intended to honor teachers, classified staff, and administrators. The formal gala took place on Friday night at the Santa Maria Fairpark Convention Center. Organizers and honorees described the evening as both a celebration and an opportunity to foster connection. Event details: - The gala honored 28 recipients from across the district. - Awards were presented in three categories: Classified Employees, Certificated Employees, and Administrative Employees. - The article mentions top honorees including Katie Ibarra, Program Specialist for Special Education, and Lucy Castaneda, a 30-year office manager at El Camino Junior High. - SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union served as the leading community sponsor for the evening. - The program included awards presentations, live music, and catered food. Summary: The gala highlighted staff contributions and emphasized appreciation and teamwork within the district. Undetermined at this time.