February 2011 Student & Educator of the Month Winners

The Lakers are proud to announce the February 2011 Student and Educator of the Month winners! This month’s student winners are Uday Mehta and Darshai Jackson. The winning teachers are Evelyn Torres-Rangel and Bruce Kravets. The winning principal is Joseph Cruz Nacorda. Each winner demonstrates an outstanding commitment to academia, athletics, and community outreach.

Uday Mehta is a Junior at Whitney High School. Uday is applauded by his teachers for his exceptional writing talents and his generosity. He recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout and recognition for service from the Elks.

Darshai Jackson is a Junior at Eastside High School.Darshai’s GPA is in the top 5% of her class. She is an active member of the “Lions Leaders” service club and the “Step It Up” dance club.

Bruce Kravets has been a teacher at Palms Middle School for over 40 years. He has become a legend amongst students and staff for his tireless passion for teaching students how math and logic relate to their real world experiences.

Evelyn Torres-Rangel is a teacher at Gabrielino High School. Ms. Torres-Rangel is the president of the Southern California Computer Science Teachers Association and has run her school’s award winning MESA program for the past 25 years.

Joseph Cruz Nacorda is principal at Franklin High School. Since taking over at Franklin earlier this year, Mr. Nacorda has energized teachers and students with his positive and inspiring outlook.
Each Student and Educator of the Month winner was invited to the home game on February 22nd against the Atlanta Hawks. They were honored during a halftime presentation where they received a plaque and a $50 gift certificate to Staples. The nominations for the February Student and Educator of the Month were submitted by principals and teachers of each school based on exemplary teaching efforts, academic achievement or extracurricular activities.