Each year, the school district asks staff, parents, students, and community members to submit nominations for our Crystal Apple Awards. This year, we received more than 120 nominations highlighting the inspirational efforts and hard work of our certified and classified staff. Our eight winners exemplify KCSD's mission: "Inspiring today's students to meet tomorrow's challenges."The winners will receive their Crystal Apples during a celebration at 7 p.m. April 25 at the Ross Ragland Theater. The event is open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Read about winners, who are profiled below in the following order: Stephanie DeVault, Lori Goff, Jessica Gould, Elisa Huffman, Stacy Johnson, Katey Limb, Shelbe Palmer and Alan Pepper.
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‘She helps them feel successful, often for the first time’
After nearly 25 years of teaching elementary students, Stephanie DeVault believes a young child’s success in school boils down to one skill: Being able to read fluently.
“It’s the key,” DeVault said. “A child’s ability to read affects every other area of their education, whether it’s science, social studies, math … It literally affects every single thing they can do.”
DeVault, a 2024 KCSD Crystal Apple award winner, is Ferguson Elementary School’s reading interventionist. She spends her days working to ensure every student who is struggling with reading gets the specific skill-based strategic help they need to unlock the written word.
In small instruction groups, she keys in on concepts they don’t yet understand. She asked one student to sound out a word, but the student stumbled a bit.
“Let’s puzzle through it together,” DeVault told her. They did, and the student was able to read the word.
“Stephanie teaches students who are struggling the most and helps build their confidence,” said Ferguson Principal Jana Dunlea. “She cares for them, holds them accountable, supports them, and helps them feel successful, often for the first time.”
DeVault’s job also includes training other teachers in reading intervention, utilizing a new district science- and research- backed reading curriculum. She reviews reading data for all grade levels, creates intervention groups, gathers materials, researches best practices, and keeps school staff focused on student growth, Dunlea said.
The efforts are working.
“Every grade level in our school has surpassed the targeted growth on the reading diagnostic, and Stephanie plays a significant role in that,” Dunlea said.
After graduating from Eastern Oregon University, DeVault moved to rural Alaska and spent most her teaching career in small schools north of the Arctic Circle and on the Aleutian Islands. She met her husband, also an educator, in Alaska. After her husband retired, they returned to Oregon, where DeVault grew up, searching for a small community where DeVault could continue teaching. The couple has two sons and a daughter.
She landed at Ferguson Elementary, teaching first-grade. That was eight years ago. She later took on an English learners and interventionist position, moving a few years ago into a full-time interventionist role.
Learning to read is difficult for children for many reasons, DeVault said, including lack of exposure to books and not being read to at home.
“You can tell a difference immediately between a child who has been read to and a child who hasn’t,” she said. “When we get kindergarteners who have never been read to or taught their ABCs, we know they have a tougher road ahead.”
Another issue for many students is lack of attendance at school, she added. “It is just so self-defeating. The further behind they are, the harder it is to catch up.”
DeVault teaches reading using structured phonics and decoding and encoding words. Students also work on reading fluency.
“When I came on board, reading was already a big push at Ferguson,” she said, “and that was exciting to be a part of, but we had students who would go through the same process over and over again and they were not seeing growth. Now we are taking it to the next level with a different curriculum and a different way to teach kids. Using these new methods based on research, and doing not just reading but also writing, seems to have made a huge impact for a lot of students.”
DeVault was surprised to receive the Crystal Apple.
“It’s an honor and a little humbling,” she said. “What I do is teach kids to read, and that’s what I am passionate about.”
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‘She is always smiling and working to make students’ days brighter’
“A consummate team player.”
“Never turns down an opportunity to be helpful.”
“Ensures students eat well and are nourished for a day of learning.”
These are just some of the reasons Henley Elementary School cook manager Lori Goff has been named a 2024 Crystal Apple award winner.
“Lori is the sunshine in our cafeteria. She is always smiling and working to make students’ days brighter,” said Henley Elementary Principal Jen Witt. “She is constantly thinking of ways to make meals as fresh as possible -- from homemade breads and soups to fry sauces and a variety of toppings – so students have nourishing and tasty food.”
Her nominators describe Goff as someone who goes out of her way to help all students.
Goff recently opened the elementary cafeteria one evening and then stayed to help and supervise Henley High students cook and serve a tri-tip dinner as a fundraiser for the 2024 graduating class. She also works with Henley High leadership, advocating for members of high school clubs and sports teams to eat lunch and visit with elementary students as informal mentors.
Goff, 48, was born and raised in Zillah, a small town in Washington. She moved to Klamath Falls in 2000 with her high school sweetheart. They married in 2004 and have two sons. When the youngest entered kindergarten, Goff took a job as an assistant cook at Shasta Elementary School, where she also volunteered for the parent booster club and various school activities. She worked at Shasta for about 10 years before moving into a cook manager position at Henley Elementary School. She has headed up the school kitchen and cafeteria there for the past three years.
“I absolutely love it,” Goff said. “I have such an awesome and hardworking team. We have such a great time, and I enjoy going to work every day.”
Her days start early – she is in the kitchen by 5 a.m. prepping for breakfast. The team then moves onto lunch and the garden cart. Goff does the ordering and paperwork, and everyone works together to clean and sanitize after the students are fed.
Daily, they serve on average 200 breakfasts and 400 lunches to students.
“My goal every day is to make good and healthy food that the kids will enjoy,” Goff said. “I’m inspired by being the best cook manager I can be … and coming up with fun and creative ideas to improve and make our cafeteria a happy and positive environment.”
The Henley cafeteria – dubbed the Honeybee Servery -- is a welcoming place for students and staff. Every day, there is a new joke on the board and decorations reflect special days. In March, for example, the team wore special hats and put up decorations for St. Patrick’s Day. They also prepared a special dessert – green Jell-O cups with whipped cream and sprinkles.
“We like to make it fun for the kids, and it makes it a fun work environment for us too,” Goff said.
One of her biggest challenges is to figure out ways to encourage young students to try new foods.
“To be honest, kids are picky,” she said. “When there’s something new, they’re often scared to try it because they don’t know much about it. That’s why we try to make it fun.”
In addition to her Henley duties, Goff is in charge of catering for district office events and trainings. She also attends Farm to School trainings to ensure she knows how to cook student-friendly recipes for fresh, hyperlocal foods.
Her work and positive energy – whether in the cafeteria or volunteering at her sons’ school events and activities – has made and continues to make a big impact.
“Lori goes above and beyond daily, not only in her job duties, but also for anything else anyone, literally anyone, needs,” said Jennifer Detwiler, Klamath County School District’s food services supervisor. “Her positive outlook and bubbly personality are contagious and her school’s climate and culture reflect that.”
Henley Elementary Vice Principal Christopher Rose described Goff as “the consummate team player.”
“Lori has supported other school campuses with kitchen help in times of need and also helps coordinate catering for district events,” he said. “Her workplace skill positively impacts those she works with on catering jobs.”
Goff calls herself a “behind the scenes kind of girl” and was surprised to be awarded a Crystal Apple.
“I am truly honored and blessed to be recognized for a job that I love to do,” she said. “It truly means a great deal to me.”
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‘She is someone kids can trust’
Two students in Jessica Gould’s resource study room compared notes last week, the day before teachers determined quarter grades. Both were proud of their accomplishments – ending the quarter with GPAs of 3.8 and 3.9.
“Jessica helped me study and I got my history grade up to a B,” one of the students, an eighth-grader, said. The other student had recently worked on a math assignment with Gould.
Gould, a resource paraprofessional at Chiloquin Jr/Sr High School, is a 2024 Crystal Apple award winner. The 28-year-old works with students who have independent education plans. She focuses on fluency and comprehension and works with individual students to bridge any gaps in understanding.
Without Gould’s help, many students would struggle more than they do, said Jason Heskett, Chiloquin’s resource teacher who works directly with Gould.
“She’s amazing and has a really good understanding of where the kids come from,” he said. “She’s really good with following through with kids. She just has a nice way about her.”
Gould, a 2013 graduate of Chiloquin, started working as a paraprofessional in 2018 at Chiloquin Elementary. She had worked at a daycare and afterschool program previously. She moved to her position as a resource paraprofessional at the high school the following year.
Helping her students succeed, whether it’s making the honor roll or achieving perfect attendance, is why she goes to work every day.
“Being able to see them grow, figuring out what kind of future they want, and being able to help them achieve their goals is such a cherished experience for me,” Gould said. “A major professional accomplishment for me is cultivating an environment where my students aren’t worried about asking for help or talking through struggles and conflict.”
Gould, who was nominated for the district award by several parents and community members, is described as warm and welcoming with a positive, nonjudgmental perspective.
“She is someone the kids can trust …and she helps them when they are having a hard time getting their grades up,” said LeAnndra Miller, a Chiloquin parent. “She is always there to stay late and help them finish homework and assignments they may be struggling with.”
Chiloquin parent Alethia Brown-David said Gould positively influences students by volunteering within the schools and helping plan activities for city and tribal organizations. She also chaperones dances, helps with events, and attends students’ games and sporting events.
“The students see her volunteering and are always willing to jump in and lend a hand with her,” Brown-David said.
Gould also knows how to connect with students, Brown-David added, meeting students at their level and figuring out how to overcome their barriers so they can become successful.
Another nominator, Amber David, said: “Jessica is an inspiration, coming from our small community and staying to help our youth, showing that she is resilient and strong and these kids can accomplish anything their hearts desire.”
Outside of work, Gould attends Klamath Community College online, studying towards a degree in business administration and management. Her dream is to open a coffee shop in downtown Chiloquin. She made president’s list last term.
“I applied to KCC last spring because some of the seniors were super stressed about the whole process,” Gould said, “and I like to lead by example.”
Receiving the Crystal Apple is humbling, but also gratifying, she said. “I feel very seen having won,” she said, “and I can tell that it has brought a lot of pride to everyone around me. It’s an incredible feeling.”
A bit more:
- Jessica enjoys beading, cooking (and eating), and drawing. She says one of her greatest joys is being an auntie to her nieces and nephews.
- Rita Hepper, the principal at Chiloquin Elementary School, was Jessica’s math teacher in high school. “I really don’t think I could have graduated without her,” Jessica says.
- A phrase she lives by: “Be the person you needed when you were young.”
- In her first year as a parapro, a student who was going through a difficult time often would save the swing next to her at recess so they could swing together. That experience resonated with Jessica: “I didn’t see her much aside from that, but the experience stuck with me. When I’m at a loss about what to do, I think about that and remember … sometimes it’s enough to just sit on the swing next to them.”
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‘She challenges them to better themselves in all aspects of their lives’
“Close, but not quite. Go back and try again,” Elisa Huffman said as she coached two Malin Elementary fourth-graders on a math lesson focusing on fractions. She then returned her attention to a small group of students who were struggling with the concepts.
Huffman always knew she wanted to teach and math is her favorite subject. The 2024 Crystal Apple award winner is among the best elementary math teachers in the district and her students’ scores prove it. Her fourth-grade students this year are on track or exceeding standards.
By 7 each morning, Huffman is in her Malin classroom getting ready for the day and ensuring that lessons are engaging for her students. It’s a routine she has been doing for the past 26 years.
Amanda Donahoe, a parent and school counselor at Malin Elementary, nominated Huffman for the Crystal Apple award, describing her as “compassionate, considerate, authentic, and dedicated to what she does.”
“She is a teacher where her students excel and succeed in her classroom because she holds them accountable and challenges them to better themselves in all aspects of their lives,” Donahoe said.
Huffman has coached Donahoe’s kids in sports and was also her husband’s grade school teacher (many, many years ago). As the school counselor, Donahoe collaborates with teachers, including Huffman, to help students with any issues or problems.
“(Elisa Huffman) creates a classroom family atmosphere, and kids come out feeling like they belong.” Donahoe said. “In her classroom the students are always thrilled on compliment circle days, and now they are pulling in surprise guests (other faculty in the building) to show them how much they appreciate what they do with intentional compliments.”
After graduating from Tulelake High School in 1992, Huffman attended College of the Siskiyous, Simpson College, and Southern Oregon University, earning her teaching credential, a master’s in education, and a bachelor’s of science degree with a concentration in accounting and a minor in economics.
After graduation, she returned to her roots. After a short stint substitute teaching in Tulelake, she took a full-time job teaching at Malin Elementary.
Over the years, she has taught various grades, worked as a teacher for migrant summer school, and coached junior high volleyball and basketball at Lost River for several years. She currently coaches YMCA volleyball, basketball, and softball for her daughter’s teams, and is treasurer for the Malin Elementary PPA. She has even served as a member of the Malin City Council.
Student athletes who are coached by Huffman are enveloped by the same positive atmosphere as the students in her classroom, Donahoe said.
“She is passionate and teaches the kids the fundamentals of the game. She is always encouraging and giving constructive feedback to improve their capabilities and athleticism.”
Huffman was honored and surprised to receive the Crystal Apple and credits her successful teaching career to her parents and colleagues.
“My parents inspired me personally to always do my best. My dad always worked hard as a farmer and instilled in me a work ethic I continue to use today,” she said. “Also, all the people that I have worked with inspire me. I learn new things every year.”
A bit more:
- As a teenager and young adult, she worked part-time for Macy’s Flying Service as a field flagger, ensuring the crop dusters sprayed in the correct area.
- Her favorite subject in school and to teach is math. Her favorite grade? Fourth.
- She was able to utilize her degrees in accounting and economics to help her husband start his mobile agriculture mechanic business.
- One of her biggest accomplishments – in addition to raising her daughter and earning her master’s degree – is winning state in softball as a junior at Tulelake High School.
- In her spare time, she likes to go boating, fishing, and traveling. She also enjoys gardening.
- Her dad graduated from Malin when it was a high school.
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‘I was fortunate enough to be one of her students’
Whether she is teaching children to read or coaching new teachers, Stacy Johnson’s goal is as profound as it is simple: helping others succeed.
“It’s my passion to help others,” the 26-year veteran educator and 2024 Crystal Apple winner says. “I love raising people up, and seeing children flourishing and overcoming their fears.”
Jonathan McCormick was one of those children. McCormick, who currently works as a paraprofessional at Bonanza with a goal of becoming a teacher, was in Johnson’s fifth-grade class at Shasta Elementary in 2006.
"I was fortunate enough to be one of her students,” he wrote in a detailed letter outlining why Johnson deserved a Crystal Apple award. “She truly believes she can make a difference in the lives of her students, and she did. She recognizes that students are individuals and not every student learns the same way. Often, she was creative with her teaching methods, trying something different while making learning fun in the process.”
Johnson worked as an elementary teacher for 23 years – seven years at Keno and 16 years at Shasta before moving into a new role three years ago as a mentor to new elementary teachers. In that role, she meets with first- and second-year teachers once every two weeks. Depending on the teacher’s needs, she will co-teach, model lessons, help them access resources, and support and encourage them. The new teachers also are able to visit other schools twice a year to observe master teachers.
Lydia Chamberland is in her second year of teaching third-grade at Shasta Elementary. As her mentor, Johnson has helped her immensely.
“We just talk about what’s going on in the classroom – behavior management, strategies I can use, different techniques I can try,” Chamberland said. “This year, I’ve become more independent, but she’s still been a huge help in further developing my skills. Sometimes, she’s just the positivity I need when I’m feeling down.”
And no one is more deserving of a Crystal Apple, Chamberland added.
“She should have 10 Crystal Apples,” she said. “She’s such a hard worker and does so much for the district and its students and teachers.”
This year, Johnson also is the lead on the district’s new English language arts curriculum, ensuring all elementary teachers have the resources they need to implement the strategies and lessons.
Johnson had always planned to teach. A 1981 graduate of Etna High School, she graduated from St. Mary’s College in the Bay Area and began substitute teaching in Chico before taking a full-time fifth-grade teaching position in Keno.
Her desire to help and inspire others began early on. She taught guitar lessons in junior high and worked at summer camps. In addition to teaching elementary school, she has taught preschool and worked as an adjunct college professor for Concordia.
As an elementary teacher, she was known for her musicals – every year, her class would perform for parents. One year, she organized and led the entire Shasta Elementary School student body during a musical performance at the Ross Ragland Theater.
Her newest role – mentoring new teachers – is something she loves. She works with Laurie Ross, a mentor for new high school teachers, as well as a team of part-time mentors. Ross and Johnson also teach a hybrid class on questioning and engagement methods for all teachers in the district. So far, 80 have signed up and are taking the class.
“I love working with these new teachers. They are so dedicated, hardworking, and reflective,” Johnson said. “I considered myself a coach. I never go in and say, ‘Oh, I did it this way.’ You don’t learn by me telling you what to do.”
The goal of providing mentors to new teachers is to help with recruitment and retention of quality educators, said Dr. Doris Ellison, KCSD’s elementary curriculum director. Johnson’s ability to provide support and encouragement without taking over is key to a successful first year for many new teachers.
“Stacy is the most positive human I have ever met, making her the perfect mentor for new teachers,” Ellison said. “Her passion for the profession is contagious.”
Johnson, who has been dubbed “Fairy Godmother,” sees mentoring as a way of giving back to a district that has invested in her career.
“Part of my legacy is to be able to leave new teachers with the best parts of teaching,” she said.
A bit more:
- This summer, she will begin working on her doctorate in reading and literacy.
- Johnson and her husband met on a blind date.
- She kept a snake as a pet in her classroom as a means for children to overcome their fears and to provide “jobs” for students who wanted to care for it.
- Johnson has her CNA (certified nursing assistant) license.
- When Jonathan McCormick was in her fifth-grade class, she allowed him to sing instead of recite the preamble to the Constitution because that was the way he could memorize it, McCormick recalled in his Crystal Apple nomination.
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'Students in her class feel safe to take risks and to grow.’
Katey Limb believes that wisdom comes from physical activity – and classes such as P.E. and weightlifting are safe places for students to experience and gain knowledge that will help them throughout their lives.
“There are so many life lessons that you can learn from sports and team activities that you can’t learn elsewhere -- learning to work together as a team, responding to a ref making a call you don’t like, dealing with teammates who aren’t carrying their load,” said Limb, who is a P.E. and health teacher at Lost River Jr/Sr High School and one of this year’s Crystal Apple award winners. “Many research studies that show when kids are active and physical, their brains work better.”
Limb teaches health, sports medicine, and weightlifting at Lost River. A college-level track and field athlete – she competed in the heptathlon – at Oregon Tech and University of Nevada-Reno – Limb earned her degree in exercise physiology with a goal of becoming a strength and conditioning coach for a university.
After graduation, she returned to her hometown (she is a 2009 Klamath Union graduate) and began substitute teaching while she decided her next step. A year later, in 2014, she accepted a full-time health and P.E. job at Mazama High School – and her career goals changed. She has taught at Lost River for the past five years.
“I ended up falling in love with teaching,” Limb said. “The way my brain works, teaching and coaching are the same thing but one is a sport and one is academics. All the same principles.”
Lost River Principal Angela Wallin nominated Limb for the Crystal Apple for her dedication, knowledge, and ability to inspire and engage students.
“Katey is an excellent teacher,” Wallin said. “She continuously strives to grow in her practice to better serve students, bringing technology into her P.E. and health classes in a matter that motivates students and enhances their learning.”
Limb is credited with applying for and receiving more than $13,000 in grants to renovate Lost River’s weight room and creating a program that benefits the personal strength and health of all students.
“Katey individually adapts a student’s weight program based on their needs and goals. She is continuously encouraging students and motivating them to do their best, and students in her class feel safe to take risks and to grow,” Wallin said. “In the health classroom, her lessons focus on state standards with high levels of student engagement through practical application.”
She is a former volleyball and track coach at Lost River. Today, as a mother of two young children, she doesn’t coach but does lead the Lost River Power Lifting Club, teaching students the techniques during weight lifting classes and helping them access competitions outside of school.
Limb said she strives to be a good role model for her students and her own kids. “I am a firm believer that ‘the best example of leadership is leadership by example,’ ” she said, reciting one of her favorite quotes. “I find great motivation in pushing myself to excel in every aspect of my life.”
At the district level, Limb serves on the professional development and technology committees.
As a P.E. teacher, Limb said she was surprised and honored to receive a Crystal Apple.
“To be recognized in such a prestigious manner is truly humbling and reinforces my commitment to the field of education,” she said. “It is a tremendous honor that goes beyond a simple acknowledgement of my efforts. It is a validation of the passion and dedication I bring to my role as an educator, and serves as a reminder that the work we do as educators is not only noticed, but valued.”
Fun facts:
- Katey Limb competed in the heptathlon at the college level. What is a heptathlon? It consists of seven events completed over two days: 100 meters hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin, and the 800 meters.
- She started substitute teaching to pay for lessons so she could get her pilot’s license. She instead met her husband and began teaching full-time. “Subbing led me to where I’m supposed to be,” Limb says.
- Katey is an award-winning competitive weight lifter, competing in both Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting. Her awards: Three-time State Champion, University Nationals Gold Medalist, American Open Medalist, A-session National Championship lifter, USPA National Powerlifting Champion, USPA Oregon State Champion, Multiple State record holder.
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‘She helps us succeed in all our classes’
The Henley Middle School student needed help and he knew where to turn – math teacher Shelbe Palmer.
It was Palmer’s prep period, the time for teachers to grade and prepare lessons. But that didn’t matter. He knew she would help.
He explained the problem and what he had been doing to solve it. Palmer walked him back through it step by step until he figured out where he had gone off track. Then another student came through the door. He wanted to retake a math test.
“I love that they ask for help, that they want to try again,” Palmer said. “That speaks volumes.”
The 2024 Crystal Apple winner was nominated for the award by her students, who described her as a great math teacher who is encouraging and caring. Among their comments:
- “When I have a bad day, she helps me cheer up.”
- “She helps us succeed in all our classes.”
- “When I am feeling down, she is always there for me.”
After her prep period, Palmer’s seventh-grade pre-algebra class filed in. The lesson was a multi-step, real life math problem: Students needed to figure out how many hay bales to order for a certain number of horses.
“It definitely encourages them to think critically and challenges them,” Palmer said of the district’s new math curriculum. “The key to teaching math is to make it fun and engaging so students are more willing to give it a try.”
Palmer also teaches algebra and geometry.
“Not many students enjoy math,” she said, “so being able to tear down the wall that all math is bad can be a challenge. But what I’ve noticed is that students just need to feel confident about math to begin to enjoy it.
Palmer almost wasn’t a math teacher.
Her initial goal after graduating high school from a small town in west Texas was to graduate from college and get a job making a lot of money. With that in mind, she earned a degree in business and accounting from McMurry University and began working at a bank.
Fortunately for math students at Henley Middle School, her husband reignited her childhood dream of being a teacher. “When my oldest son was 2, my husband was watching me with him and told me, ‘You would be a great teacher.’ That stuck in mind and in my heart so I started on a path to make that happen. A part of me had always wanted to be a teacher but I thought I should make big bucks by doing something else.”
She earned her teaching certificate and never looked back. Her first job was teaching English at a middle school in Texas in 2013. She moved to Klamath Falls in 2015 to teach math at Henley Middle School. She taught three years before spending a year in administration at Eagle Ridge and teaching for a few years in Texas and Colorado before returning to Henley two years ago.
In addition to teaching math, she helps students with life skills and organization in her advisory class and coaches seventh-grade basketball. A high school and college athlete herself, she loves coaching and fitness. That love pushed her to earn a health and wellness certificate so she could use that knowledge to eventually help her fellow educators.
“Teaching is such a hard job and we often neglect ourselves,” she said. “For me, self-care is what helps me bring my best self to school. I have a passion for it.”
Henley Middle School Principal Kristine Creed said Palmer is determined to make a positive difference for students.
“She consistently demonstrates caring and compassion for each and every one of her students, making a point to build relationships with them and enhance their learning experience,” Creed said.
Palmer was honored to receive the Crystal Apple. “I care very much about doing a good job and making sure my students are learning and enjoying being in class,” she said. “This is a way to show I’m appreciated by students, parents, and staff. It’s special.”
With teaching, Palmer has found her path – and passion.
“Teaching goes beyond knowledge,” she said. “It’s about nurturing young kids and instilling confidence and fostering a lifelong love for learning.”
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‘Alan always answers yes – no matter the time or day’
Whether he’s changing oil, fixing a radiator or finds himself in the driver’s seat, Klamath County School District mechanic Alan Pepper has the same goal: Safety.
“Every day I make sure the buses are safe for the kids, for our drivers, and even for the other people on the road,” he said. “I strive to do the best job I can.”
A 2024 Crystal Apple award winner, Pepper is described by his nominators as someone who is a problem solver, positive role model, and quick to help others in need.
“If we get a phone call at any time that a bus is in need of a mechanic, Alan always answers yes – no matter the time of day,” said Melinda Downing, KCSD transportation supervisor. “He also drives bus when the need arises, which is often.”
Pepper, 25, is one of five mechanics at the district who maintain more than 90 school buses as well as vans and other district trucks and vehicles used to transport students and staff.
The maintenance schedule is extensive, and the team works together to ensure all vehicles are safe for the road and passengers. Pepper also fills in as a substitute bus driver when needed and has driven nearly all the routes, some as a long-term sub.
“When they first asked me to drive bus, I was really nervous,” Pepper recalled. “But I guess I’m pretty good with kids, and I drove bus once for seven months straight and really got to know the kids on the route.”
Colleagues say that Pepper’s work ethic and rapport with students is what makes him stand out.
“When Alan is driving, he interacts with all the students,” said Vicki Carter, a driver for the district. “I drive for special needs, and he is so good with those kiddos.”
“He troubleshoots issues fast so the buses can get back on the road,” said Shawn Tompkins, a fellow mechanic. “And he has a positive attitude with students no matter how many times a week he has to drive routes.”
After graduating from Bonanza Jr/Sr High School, Pepper went to Klamath Community College on an Oregon Promise grant, graduating in 2018 with an associate’s degree in diesel. He also earned his CDL certification. He went to work for Sunny D as a mechanic for 2-1/2 years before joining the school district’s mechanic team in February 2020.
Pepper has been working on cars since he was 10 years old. The first was a truck purchased for $100 that he and his father tuned up together. He has worked on vehicles ever since.
Outside of work, Pepper does hands-on projects at his home in Bonanza. He has a CNC machine and he bought a small sawmill so he could mill his own wood. He’s built a woodshed and a trailer with rails as well as milled wood for siding in his shop. He also creates metal art, a skill he learned while in the ag mechanics program as a student at Bonanza. He is a collector of neon signs, which he hangs inside his shop.
In the bus barn at the District Office, Pepper raised a school bus and explained the process of changing the oil and the maintenance that is done every 5,000 miles. His exudes positive energy as he continued down his checklist.
“I like working and I like where I work,” he said.
But he admits he never envisioned being a school bus mechanic and often-times driver. His late mother drove bus for Bonanza for years and encouraged him to apply at the district bus barn. She passed away six months after he got the job.
Pepper also helps his community. “Outside of work, Alan is someone people all around our community and the Bonanza area call when they need help,” Downing said. “He gets up at all hours to pull people out of ditches, get a vehicle up and running, or move something from one area to the next.”
Pepper was surprised to get a Crystal Apple. When his colleagues told him he had been nominated, he thought to himself, “There’s no way I’m going to get that. There’s way better people who are more deserving.”
“It blindsided me” he added. “It hasn’t really sunk in.”
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