BY DANA SALLES TREVETHAN
Special to the Journal
Relationships and opportunities do come full circle. Most recently in my role as Superintendent of Turlock Unified School District, I had the opportunity to reconnect with former Turlock High students—Eryk Sanchez (2010), Erika Gonsalves (2004), Karina Aguilera (2011), Crystal Islas (2009), and Daniella Bustos (2006), who are now my TUSD colleagues. Once upon a time, we reserved time and passion for meeting a shared goal—winning the annual Principal’s Spanish Lip Sync competition in pursuit of scholarships for participants’ educational aspirations beyond high school.
In my 15-minute “Welcome to TUSD Meet & Greet” with each of them this year and last, I’ve learned how their high school lip-sync performing experiences influenced their direction and successes. Coincidentally, my colleagues’ gratitude and reflection mirrored what I had shared in Sandra Harris’ Best Practices of Award Winning Secondary Schools Principals publication back in 2006 (https://lnkd.in/gdmMJdec). It wasn’t until this morning, when I pulled the book off my shelf to reread what I had written nearly 18 years ago, that I was reminded of our intentional, inclusive efforts to build students’ confidence and experience by “joining forces” with other student groups on campus. The result? English Learners, HYLC/Spanish Club members, drama students, and cheerleaders came together with purpose and unity to earn first in our region and fourth place at the state-level competition. However, more important than the outcome was what my newest colleagues shared with me, as I echoed in Harris’ NASSP’s/Corwin Press’ manuscript—"the lasting relationships surpassed ethnic boundaries, social & emotional barriers, and cliques.”
Over the years, one can only imagine the impact and relationships built between high school principals and their student-performers since the inception of the annual lip-sync contest founded in 1987 by Mike Sturtevant of the Modesto Rotary Club and then continued by El Concilio and Turlock’s Westside Ministries. My eight years of lip syncing with students was a highlight of leading a positive school culture—the evening practices, dinner, dress rehearsals, set building, and costume design — had students and staff engaged in a creative focus, each competition requiring the school principal to lip-sync to a Spanish-language song with student dancers decorated in multiple, traditional, and colorful costumes with elaborate backdrops. It took a collection of effort and heart from so many to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for young people…and a life-time of memories to share and reflect on for all of us.
