DOWNEY - Warren High School science department head Jeff Orlinsky, who is concluding his four-year stint as Downey Education Association president, was recognized at Tuesday's regular school board meeting as one of only a dozen recipients in the whole state of the prestigious California Teachers Association state WHO (We Honor Ours) Award, while head custodian David Harris of the Maintenance, Operations and Transportation department was honored for his "exemplary" performance in the area of environment, with special mention of his crew's work at Gauldin Elementary School.Orlinsky began his teaching career in the fall of 1987 at Warren where he has remained ever since. His accomplishments over the years, according to presenter superintendent Dr. Wendy Doty, include serving on "many, many" DUSD committees, serving on the CTA state council for nine years and becoming the very first chair of its assessment and testing committee, his work on the state level (meeting with then governor-elect Gray Davis) on the use of norm reference tests and school rankings as well as development of the API and small schools accountability measures. He is an avid runner (has run the L.A. marathon in 3 hours and 38 minutes) and has a karate black belt. Harris' rise in DUSD was rapid: from custodian, then lead custodian, to his present post-all in record time-a recognition of his sense of responsibility, commitment, and a 'can-do' spirit he brings to the tasks at hand, said presenter Jim Tallo, who subbed for director Buck Weinfurter. Impressed with his deep thunder of a voice, board member Don La Plante said: "I'd say you can find work as a radio broadcaster." -Henry Veneracion, staff writer

********** Published: June 9, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 8