Elia Escandon Honored with the Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo Esperanza Award for Excellence in Education
Our District is proud to announce that Elia Escandon, a beloved educator with an impressive 30-year career, has been named a recipient of the 2024 Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo Esperanza Award for Excellence in Education, presented by the El Monte Promise Foundation. Escandon was honored at the Annual Tamalada Gala on December 12, 2024, at the Grace T. Black Auditorium, where she was surrounded by her loved ones and Mountain View School District colleagues.
Elia Escandon’s journey in education is a story of dedication, compassion, and service. Beginning her career as a Head Start Program Assistant, Escandon has served as a teacher at Maxson and Voorhis schools and now continues to inspire young learners as a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teacher at Miramonte Elementary School. Over the years, she has impacted countless lives by fostering a nurturing and inclusive classroom environment, where students feel safe, valued, and loved.
“Teaching our little ones is an amazing responsibility,” Escandon shared in her acceptance speech. “My purpose is to make children feel happy at school. Once they feel happy, then they can learn. In my classroom, I greet my students each morning with a big smile and make sure to say their names because I want them to feel safe and welcome. That, to me, is the foundation of learning.”
Escandon’s passion for education is matched only by her unwavering commitment to her community. Beyond the classroom, she devotes countless hours to volunteering at school events, parent engagement activities, and staff celebrations. Whether she is organizing Retirement Celebrations to honor her colleagues or attending her students’ extracurricular activities and family milestones, Escandon is a steadfast and uplifting presence. Her efforts reflect her deep belief in the power of relationships and community building.
“The El Monte community is so warm,” she said. “I feel really connected to them because a lot of the families remind me of my own family. I am honored because I have met so many wonderful families and students over the years.”
Escandon’s heartfelt dedication also extends to her own family, whom she credits as her greatest supporters. She expressed gratitude to her late father, saying, “My dad was always so proud of the fact that his daughter was a teacher. He would beam with pride when he told his friends that his daughter was an educator by sharing in his native Spanish, ‘Mi hija es maestra’.” She also thanked her mother for providing unwavering support, even during the busiest times in her career. “Thank you, Mamá Socorro, for cooking all those delicious meals when I didn’t have time to cook myself,” she said with a smile.
The El Monte Promise Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of students in the El Monte community, recognized Escandon and other local school district staff for their dedication to creating a cradle-to-college pathway for El Monte students. By uniting parents, students, and community leaders, the foundation mobilizes resources and increases opportunities for success in higher education. In celebrating Escandon, the organization noted, “Elia’s humility, genuine care, and unwavering dedication shine through in every role she holds, leaving a lasting impact on everyone she touches.”
The Mountain View School District congratulates Elia Escandon on this well-deserved recognition. Her unwavering commitment and passion for education embody the spirit of the Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo Esperanza Award, a tribute to an educator whose work inspires hope and excellence within the community.