Page 78 - Laguna Blanca Magazine Summer 2018

Dedicated.

Compassionate.

Beloved.

LAGUNA HONORS

ANNA ALLDREDGE
WITH 2018 FACULTY
EXCELLENCE AWARD

At the Middle School Closing Ceremony in June, Laguna puts into ensuring that purposeful and powerful experiences are
Middle School Teacher Anna Alldredge was honored with the 2018 an integral part of their Laguna education. “Thank you for helping
Faculty Excellence Award, which recognizes recipients for their our vision of the TEDx event become a reality,” says Hayley
demonstrated excellence in teaching and commitment to Laguna Bankhead ’19. “And thank you for taking on a program that can
Blanca and its students. really change students’ lives through giving them
Anna is a respected leader in the Laguna unimaginable real world experiences.”
community, but just as importantly, she is “It’s easy to Students are not the only ones influenced
personally invested in the lives of her students and by Anna’s passion for providing a meaningful
is always ready to lend a helping hand or share see why Anna’s education. “I have not met another educator who
insightful advice. students gravitate is more dedicated to this school and how great
It’s easy to see why Anna’s students gravitate towards her; it can be… she personally motivates me to be a
towards her; she possesses a genuine ability she possesses a better teacher,” says colleague Andra Wilson.
to listen to, connect with, and inspire students. Thanks to an endowment established by
“She is always there for her students. On any genuine ability to alumni parents Steven and Marilyn Gutsche, Anna
given day, you will find the majority of the Middle listen to, connect received a cash award and a $3,000 stipend
School hanging out in her classroom during lunch with, and inspire for travel, workshops, equipment, and teaching
chatting away with her,” notes Laguna Middle students.” materials.
School Teacher Zack Moore. “She listens to their Anna began her teaching career as a
needs, fears, and ambitions, then guides them to Stanford faculty assistant eight years ago. She also
thoughtful choices.” designed curriculum at Berlin’s International UNESCO School and
Innovation is a cornerstone of Anna’s teaching, as she taught English, Human Development, and Peace Studies at Cate
has exhibited time and again since she joined the Laguna School prior to joining Laguna. She and her husband, Nathan, live
community in the fall of 2015. This past school year, Anna and in Carpinteria with their two children and Laguna Lower School
fellow Middle School Teacher Allison Armstrong implemented the students, Soren ’27 and Greta ’29.
first ever TEDx: Project Based Leadership class into the Laguna Thank you, Anna, for all you do to better our students and
curriculum, resulting in the first annual—and very successful— school community. You are a role model to so many, and you
TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool event that took place in January
provide more than just a classroom education—you provide a
LAGUNA BLANCA MAGAZINE was instrumental in the development of the new Swoop Group me much more than just English this year—you have taught me
2018. As head of the Middle School Advisory Program, Anna
springboard to life. Lily Connor ’22 remarks, “You have taught
just how amazing a woman can be. You are a beacon of light; your
program, an exciting and engaging initiative that offers weekly
extracurricular electives to Middle School students.
effortless positivity is contagious. I am endlessly grateful that I was

given the privilege of spending an entire school year with you.”
Anna’s students are quick to recognize all of the hard work she
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