Moorhead Area Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brandon Lunak presented Junalyn Zaragosa with the Spud Spirit Award for May 2024. Junalyn is a special education teacher at Ellen Hopkins Elementary. She is currently in her first year with the district.
Dr. Lunak surprised Junalyn with the award outside her classroom, surrounded by her colleagues. He told her that her nominator—a fellow MAPS employee—described her as having a “heart of gold and a smile that welcomes students and staff alike.” They added that Junalyn is quick to offer support to students and staff whenever the opportunity arises and makes it her top priority to make sure all students feel loved and cared for while motivating them to be their best selves.
“At the beginning of the year, you weren’t certified to administer the standardized testing required to qualify students for special education, and it was important to you to lighten your colleagues’ workloads,” continued Lunak. “You learned by observing the process of administering the tests and then actively sought the necessary professional development to earn this certification—now you’re administering the tests on your own!”
Moved to tears by the award, Junalyn explained to Dr. Lunak and her colleagues what the honor meant to her.
“I’m in my first year here, so to receive an award like this is very special to me,” said Zaragosa, who was one of five special educators to move to Moorhead from the Philippines in early 2023 to work for MAPS. “I admire everyone I work with here so much.”
The care that Junalyn shows her students and her colleagues is very representative of MAPS’ mission to develop the maximum potential of every student.
The Spud Spirit Award is a recognition program that honors MAPS staff who live by the district mission to develop the maximum potential of every learner to thrive in a changing world and showcase our Spud Spirit statements:
Students, staff, parents, families, and the Moorhead community
Passionate, engaged, innovative, and growing in safe environments
Unique, worthy, respectful, and relationship-based
Diversity enriches our school and community
Stewards of the public’s trust in effective and efficient operations
Spud Spirit Award nominations are made by staff, student families and community members.