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View Winners → Education Feb 24, 2023
Dwight Taylor receiving his award. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Office of Education
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Dwight Taylor has served in multiple campus security roles in the Moreno Valley Unified School District. In 2017, he was named the MVUSD Classified Employee of the Year, and was ultimately selected as the 2017 Riverside County Classified Employee of the Year.
Six years later, Taylor now serves as a District Lead Officer (Campus Security Officer II), and was recently selected as MVUSD’s 2023 Site Support Employee of the Year. On Wednesday, he was surprised with the news that he is being recognized again at the county level — this time as the 2023 Riverside County Site Support Employee of the Year.
“Thank you to everybody in this room, and for always helping me to be positive,” said Taylor to the gathered crowd of family, colleagues and board members, immediately after receiving the award. “For all those we serve in this district, we know what they face, and I try to be somebody who does something.”
In his position, Taylor provides a safe and secure place for teachers to teach, and for students to learn. “Taylor’s personalized approach includes serving as a coach and a mentor who advocates, de-escalates, and collaborates, while building his own skills as an empathic listener, restorative justice supporter, and a servant leader,” the Riverside County Office of Education said in a statement. He is also involved as a 2nd Vice President for CSEA Chapter 410 in MVUSD and serves as a Freedom Writer teacher.
On Feb. 16, staff from Beaumont Unified School District’s Instruction and Support Services team gathered in the boardroom at the Educational Support Facility for a regularly-scheduled meeting, only to find out that one of their team members was about to be surprised with the news that she is the 2023 Riverside County Confidential Employee of the Year.
When Executive Assistant Aprylle Larson finally entered the room that was decorated with colorful balloons, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez along with dozens of Larson’s colleagues and family members greeted her with a chorus of “Surprise!” and robust applause.
“You are positive, and collaborative, as you work directly with staff on board policies, administrative regulations, field trips, contracts, software purchases, and so much more to protect the safety of students, staff, and the district,” Gomez told Larson as he presented her with an award certificate. “As a former superintendent in two different districts, I can tell you how updating policies and regulations are critically important to the success of our schools.”
Larson’s response: “I’m just about speechless! On the daily, I rely on all of you as much as you rely on me. I’m really proud to be here — to work in a wonderful environment that is student-centered and student-focused.”
Larson has served for three years as the executive assistant to the assistant superintendent of instruction and support services.
In addition to the daily responsibilities as the top administrative support employee in the division, Larson also helps organize student of the month activities, science fair, spelling bee and a film festival, according to the Office of Education. Her experience as a library media technician has connected her with opportunities to lead professional development training sessions each month on how her colleagues can incorporate new technology into their individual and collective skill sets.
The Riverside County Educators of the Year are selected from the more than 36,000 educational employees in the county. The application process starts with nominations by teachers, classified employees, and school district administrators throughout the county. Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where an outside selection committee selects the honorees before the county superintendent announcement.
Along with the 2023 Riverside County Teachers of the Year named previously, all 2023 Riverside County Educators of the Year will be honored at the Celebrating Educators Luncheon, set for Tuesday, May 2, at the Riverside Convention Center.
