ESD 105 Is Excited To Announce Our 2024 Regional Classified Employee Of The Year, Erica Aparicio, Community Health Worker For Yakima Public Schools. Ms. Aparicio Will Advance To OSPI's Statewide Recognition Program. -06/13/24

This spring, we received nominations for more than thirteen amazing education support professionals across the south central region of Washington State to serve as our 2024 ESD 105 Regional Classified Employee of the Year.  We are excited to share that Erica Aparicio, a community health worker for Yakima Public Schools, has been selected! 

Going above and beyond is her norm. In education, we often recognize individuals for going above and beyond the call of duty when they make home visits or engage outside of school in the greater community. For Erica, this is her norm; she regularly conducts work in the community, meeting families where they are most comfortable.  

 

She has an impact by showing care and support for displaced families. Recently a family from Venezuela came to our country with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a couple of immunization records. Erica quickly enrolled the students in school, ensured they had the supplies and resources needed, and connected them with housing services. Erica embodies the whole child - whole family approach.  One of the many parents she has supported wrote a letter of recommendation for this award: “Miss Erica is an excellent person because when we arrived, we had nothing… She came to my motel to help by bringing food, coats, blankets, clothes and shoes… She also helped with my daughter’s immunizations and doctor appointments at the clinic… she helped me secure an appointment for housing…I feel very grateful .” 

 

She is an advocate for community health. During COVID, Ms. Aparicio was assigned to support State mandated COVID-19 testing and contract tracing requirements. While working in this capacity, she recognized a greater need in the community; a need for a community health worker who met families where they were at with what they needed most. Armed with the knowledge and access to essential community resources available to families, Ms. Aparicio has been able to do just that. When COVID relief funding to cover this position was no longer provided, Erica advocated for the continuation of her position to support the whole child through support of the whole family. Yakima Public Schools has continued this investment in their students and community because of the success they’re seeing as a direct result of Erica’s contributions. 

Since assuming her current role, Erica has also been instrumental in developing several free vaccine and sports physical clinics and a community pantry that have benefitted hundreds of Yakima students and families. 

 

Ms. Aparicio changes the dynamics of entire families.  Before the onset of the pandemic, Erica was working with a student who experienced severe cognitive delays, which made it impossible for her to communicate with others. Erica created a PECS Book (Picture Exchange Communication System) so that this student could communicate her needs, giving her a sense of empowerment and a link to the outside world. After the closing of our nation’s public schools, Erica was very concerned that the progress she had made with this student would be impacted. To ensure this student’s success, Erica translated this machine into the family’s home language and met with the family over Zoom to train them in how to use it. This was the first time the family was able to communicate with their child, knowing precisely what she needed. Erica did not just change the life of this student for the better, she changed the dynamic of an entire family! 

 

Erica is a leader, mentor, advocate and friend to many. Beyond the examples of excellence provided for Erica are many more stories of connection, innovation and care. We are thrilled to recognize her with our 2024 Regional Classified Employee of the Year award. As our regional recipient, Ms. Aparicio will advance to OSPI’s statewide Classified Employee of the Year competition. We invite you to join us in congratulating Ms. Aparicio! 

 

Ms. Aparicio was recognized by ESD 105 Superintendent Kevin Chase during a surprise announcement onsite at Yakima Public Schools’ Community Health & Wellness Center on Thursday, June 13, 2024, in a room of her colleagues. Also in attendance were Yakima Public Schools’ Superintendent  Dr. Trevor Greene, ESD 105 Assistant Superintendent Shane Backlund, YSD Chief Communications Officer Kirsten Fitterer, and several panel judges, including last year’s winner Christopher Harris of Selah School District. 

Click here to access photos of today's surprise announcement.
 

Our top three finalists for this year’s Classified Employee of the Year award are listed below: 

• Erica Aparicio | Community Health Worker | Yakima Public Schools
• Sara Colby | Technology Coach | West Valley School District
• Heather Cooley | Behavior Interventionist | Naches Valley School District

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About ESD 105:

ESD 105 supports 25 public school districts and more than 20 state-approved private and tribal schools in South Central Washington.  The agency serves the expressed needs of those schools in coordinating and conducting cooperative programs to benefit the approximately 68,000 K-12 students who are served in Kittitas and Yakima counties and portions of Grant and Klickitat counties.  As one of nine ESDs in the state, ESD 105 carries out liaison activities between local school districts, the Washington State Office of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education.