Hunt School employee receives county recognition

Ululani Smith received an award through the Stanislaus County ‘Employees Making a Difference’ program. The Hunt Elementary secretary was also chosen by the county to participate in the ‘California Classified Employee of the Year’ program.

NEWMAN –  Hunt Elementary School Secretary Ululani Smith was recognized recently as one of 22 outstanding classified employees in Stanislaus County in the county’s “Employees Making A Difference” program.

During a reception held in Modesto on Jan.17, Smith was told she was also selected as the county’s nominee in the service area of office/technology to participate in the California Classified Employee of the Year program.

“I was shocked when they called my name (as the county nominee),” Smith told Mattos Newspapers. “It is nice to be recognized for the work that I do and to know it makes a difference but it’s what I do.  I love my job and I love to see people happy,” she shared.

“Ululani takes care of everyone’s needs through her desire for others to have a good day, whether it is through her job, performing tasks that allow the school to run smoothly or the meals she provides the staff,” Principal Justin Pruett noted.

Smith is known for bringing her sense of family to the campus through her warm spirit and giving heart. Beyond her daily tasks in the office, the phone calls, the files, the endless data she works with, the dedicated secretary’s priority is making sure everyone feels welcome, safe and cared about.

“Ulu is the front line at Hunt Elementary,” Pruett added. “When a parent comes in upset, she is able to talk to them and calm their fears. By the time they talk to me, they are calm and ready to work on the problem. She is creative with solutions and has the determination to always finish a project.”

“The best part of my job is working with the kids,” Smith expressed, “That’s what it is all about.” She sees kids come through the office in all types of situations. Sometimes they are in trouble, sometimes they are feeling sick or need some help, sometimes they just want to visit. Regardless of the reason, Smith greets them with a smile and gives them her attention.

“Kids always come into the office before and after school just to peek in and say hello,” she said. They ask if she needs help with anything. They come in to share their accomplishments and to bring in art and writing projects to post on the special bulletin board she has displayed in the office. “They come in to read to me sometimes, too, which is really special,” she described.

Being a school secretary is more than the daily tasks listed in the job description and Smith is known for generously reaching beyond those limits.

Her dedication often finds her arriving early to school and staying late. “Anytime there is an activity at the school, Ululani is there. She wants to be available to the parents,” Pruett described. She knows that that could be the only time a parent can make it to the school, and if that parent has a question, she wants to make sure they get the opportunity to ask it. She enjoys serving others and making their day better.

That compassionate and giving spirit extends beyond the campus limits to the greater community as well. Smith is known for helping others in need whether it is providing meals for a sick friend or lending an ear to someone who needs that support or raising money to help find a cure.

Smith is a breast cancer survivor. She made a personal commitment to help in the research to find a cure so that no other woman would have to endure what she endured. She formed Team Makoa (means warrior in Hawaiian) to raise funds to help in the effort through the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the cure program. Team Makoa has participated in the 3-day run in San Francisco for several years.

Smith is one of six nominees from Stanislaus County that will be participating in the state’s classified school employee of the year program. The award recipient at the state level will be announced by the State Department of Education during Classified School Employees Week in May.