School Worker Wins LA’s BEST Award

When Guillermina Pulido was named winner of the Al Minturn Humanitarian Award for her work as the LA’s BEST site coordinator at Langdon Avenue Elementary School, the honor came as a surprise to nobody but Pulido herself.

“I was so ecstatic when I heard. I did not expect it one bit,” Pulido said.

Named after a retired coordinator, the award is given annually to the employee who best embodies the ideals of LA’s BEST. The 24-campus after-school program provides free activities to elementary school kids in neighborhoods deemed most vulnerable to gangs, drugs and crime.

“Guille has this burning passion to help kids. The children always come first, regardless,” said Langdon Principal Dan Balderrama.

“She’s got a very easygoing personality, but at the same time she’s very focused and very organized,” Balderrama said.

Under Pulido’s direction, the once-languishing Langdon program has reached its capacity of 200 kids and has been forced to start a waiting list.

Pulido, who also works as a teaching assistant at Langdon, often spends 12-hour days at the school, acting at various times as teacher, doctor, psychologist and mom, she said.

“The only thing I don’t have here is a bed. I like to say, ‘I’m not married, but I have 200 kids,’ ” said Pulido, who lives in Pacoima.

“My main objective is to keep the kids entertained and off the streets. When they are here on campus, they are safe, but out there it isn’t safe at all.”

Among her accomplishments at Langdon, Pulido has started a free computer skills class for parents and has overseen successful science and sports programs, Balderrama said.

Pulido, 28, who attends Santa Monica College and plans to transfer to UCLA and eventually earn a law degree, will be honored today during an LA’s BEST staff training session at El Sereno Middle School in East L.A.

“For me, this is all about giving kids choices,” said Pulido. “I want them to realize that there is a world outside of their own neighborhood, and that they have the ability to make choices about their lives.”