Ginger Geftakys from SchoolsFirst Center for Creativity and Critical Thinking receives award

On Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Board of Education recognized Ginger Geftakys, Coordinator of the SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Center for Creativity and Critical Thinking at California State University, Fullerton, with a “You Are The Advantage” award.

Ginger has been a valuable PYLUSD partner for more than 12 years. She works collaboratively with teachers, administrators and staff to provide lessons, professional development, student assemblies, demonstrations, teacher coaching, supervision of student teachers and so much more.

Ginger is passionate about integrating arts instruction for the purpose of promoting high achievement and boosting student engagement. She possesses in-depth knowledge and understanding of research related to best practices in arts education and professional development. Each year, she has continued to provide training so the original cohort of kindergarten students, and all who have followed, reap the long-term benefits of highly trained teachers in arts education.

The partnership expanded in 2015 when Ginger began collaborating with the district to provide summer camp for English learners in third through fifth grade that focuses on integrating arts, science and English language development. Ginger brought her knowledge, enthusiasm, strong work ethic and expertise to develop a program that students, parents and teachers describe as life-changing. The summer camp’s strong professional development component lays a solid foundation for teachers to provide rigorous and engaging learning experiences for students who face immense challenges as English learners, very often living in poverty.

Her dedication to her partnership with PYLUSD seems limitless. Always sharing her beautiful smile, no task or duty is too menial if the result is an enriching experience for students and teachers. Whether she is taking her grandchildren to the Santa Ana Zoo to prepare a scavenger hunt for the English learners in the Rainforest Safari Camp or spending hours transforming a room into a learning laboratory, Ginger does whatever it takes to create memorable and lasting learning experiences. She does so in the most loving, creative way possible. Her enthusiasm is contagious, even for those who are most reluctant to express themselves creatively.

Ginger has truly made a difference in the lives of thousands of PYLUSD students and teachers by providing learning experiences that have a lasting impact. She personifies the district’s core values in everything she does. For these accomplishments and so much more, the district honors Ginger Geftakys for being “The Advantage.”