Rogelio and Sylvia Padilla

Rogelio and Sylvia Padilla are retired elementary educators who loved teaching. Their journey in life began with their parents’ struggle and sacrifice to provide a better life for their families. The hard work ethic and commitment to the teaching profession are credited to their parents Jesus, José Refugio, and Anita.

Rogelio (Roy) Padilla came to the United States from Mexico as a seven-year-old without any school experience. He persevered and became a bilingual teacher in 1980 working at State Street Elementary School in South Gate. For the next thirty-three years at State Street, he serviced the English Language learners and their families with compassion, high expectations, and creativity. Every Friday was Art and Creative Writing Day! Students would write stories about their art creations, and the hallways were always decorated. His former second graders remember Mr. Padilla for his kindness, his gift of storytelling, and his science-filled classroom. Students wanted to become paleontologists after the unit on fossils, and astronomers after learning about the earth and moon cycles. Learning was fun in his classroom.

At home, Roy Padilla helped Sylvia reach her dream of becoming a bilingual teacher. The day their first child was born, he took Sylvia’s transcripts to a counselor at CSULB. The next day as he went into the hospital to take them home, he informed Sylvia that she now had enough units to transfer to Long Beach State. For the next seven years (and while they raised their three children), Roy would come home from work to take over the household so that Sylvia could attend evening classes. In 1992, Sylvia completed her bilingual teaching credential. Sylvia Padilla was hired by Long Beach Unified School District, in the first dual language program at Patrick Henry Elementary School.

For the next 29 years, Sylvia became a leader at her school and represented Patrick Henry’s program in the district, the state, and national dual language educational arenas. Her work and effort to improve education in two languages across the State of California gave Sylvia the drive to become a Statewide trainer of literacy practices in Spanish. In her classroom, she was known as Señora Padilla; who played her guitar and strived to make learning meaningful, fostering relationships, curiosity, and a deep love for learning. In 2003 Sylvia was awarded Bilingual Teacher of the Year by the California Association for Bilingual Education. Soon after, Mrs. Padilla was honored as a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year, and in 2013 she was awarded Champion of Change by the White House. Sra. Padilla credits her recognition to the teachers at Patrick Henry who collaborate and motivate her; she also credits her husband who is always by her side.

In 2013 CSULB honored Sylvia Padilla with the President’s Distinguished Service Award. This recognition as an alumnus is one of the closest to her heart. CSULB helped Sylvia reach her dream of becoming a teacher. The Isabel Patterson Child Development Center cared for her children when she had no choice but to take morning courses. Sylvia remembers pushing her stroller through Campus to meet with her professors. She remembers walking with her cap and gown with her youngest child in her arms. She remembers 2007 walking to receive her master’s degree, her three children were then teenagers.

Today Sylvia and Roy Padilla are enjoying retirement. They love to hike, play tennis, and travel to places they read about. However, their favorite place in the world is to be with their four grandchildren.