Six honorees were in the spotlight on Friday night, March 21 as the Escalon Unified School District inducted three new Hall of Fame members and honored three district employees.
The Hall of Fame ceremony saw Robert ‘Bob’ Brayton, Al Caton and Bryan Ney enshrined in the Hall, joining 16 others already there.
The Employee Recognition was presented to Gustavo Arzac, Alyse Kisst and Leslie Fross.
With performances by the Escalon High School band and choir to begin the evening, attendees settled in to the dining tables set up in the school’s Performing Arts Center, many featuring family members and friends of the Hall inductees along with family and co-workers of the honored employees.
Once all had made their way through the dinner buffet line and were seated at the tables, District Superintendent Ricky Chavez took to the microphone to welcome the crowd and outline the order of festivities for the evening.
“Our inductees and employees of the year represent a wealth of achievements and meaningful contributions, leaving lasting impressions on our students, staff and the broader Escalon community,” Chavez noted. “Though they have served in different roles, they are united by a sheer dedication to enhancing the lives of others. As we honor their successes, we should also draw inspiration form their journeys.”
The new inductees for the Hall of Fame were honored first, starting with Robert Brayton, followed by Al Caton and closing out that portion of the program with Bryan Ney.
Chavez provided the background on Brayton, who joined the family business. C.T. Brayton and Sons in 1975, using that as a springboard to a career and lifelong commitment to construction and community development. Since 2004, C.T. Brayton and Sons, Inc. has completed 31 projects under contract within the Escalon Unified School District, totaling $55 million. Among the most notable, the construction of the Performing Arts Center, library and cafeteria at Escalon High in 2004; the El Portal gymnasium and classroom additions; modernization of Dent Elementary in 2020; the 2023 athletic field and track updates at EHS; and the 2024 classroom additions at Dent.
Accepting his award, Brayton thanked former District Superintendent Ron Costa – who nominated him for the Hall of Fame – as well as school board members for approving his induction.
He noted that his mom, Phyllis, taught business at Escalon High School for 30 years, in addition to his aunt Mary Lou, who taught kindergarten at Dent; and his cousin Nancy, who taught kindergarten as well.
Current board member Nick Caton introduced his dad, Al Caton, a former teacher and coach who served 24 years on the Escalon Unified School District board, from 1990 to 2014. He also coached multiple teams, including serving as an assistant for the varsity football team.
Starting his professional career as a teacher in Hayward in 1968, Caton also spent a few years at St Mary’s High School in Stockton as a teacher and coach before leaving the education field to transition into full time farming and also was a real estate investor.
Caton was honored in 2014 as Unified School District Member of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators for excellence in job performance.
Caton detailed how he came to live in Escalon; after spending his early years in Gustine, his father – who had a small dairy – wanted to expand the operation and found land in Escalon, bringing the family here.
After getting over the initial shock, Caton said he “loved going to school here” and enjoyed his high school years, both academically and athletically.
“My heroes were my football coaches and my teachers,” Caton told the crowd.” I don’t remember having a teacher that I didn’t like.”
Providing the introduction for former EUSD teacher and coach Bryan Ney was board member Martha Coelho.
“Dedication and a lasting impact” are what set Ney apart and earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame, she explained, adding that throughout his career, “what never changed was his dedication to making learning meaningful, engaging and relevant for every student that walked into his classroom.”
Ney was part of the first sixth grade class to attend El Portal Middle School when it opened in 1970. He also attended Science Camp as a sixth grader; he would later return as a cabin leader his senior year and served 34 years as a teacher at the outdoor camp.
Ney was hired by the Escalon Unified School District as a sixth grade teacher in June of 1984 and stayed in that role – educating thousands of sixth graders – in a career that ran through June of 2018.
He coached several teams and was the Outdoor Education Science Camp Coordinator for more than 25 years.
“First of all, I want to thank my family … appreciate you being here, supporting me,” Ney said as he stepped to the podium. “To my teacher family, appreciate you … to the board of trustees, thank you as well for accepting my nomination and approving it at the last board meeting.”
He went on to detail his years growing up and attending school in Escalon, not really envisioning that he would come back and spend his entire professional career here.
“Phenomenal teachers, phenomenal coaches,” he shared of what helped make the difference and put him on the path to a career in education.
On to the Employee Recognition, Leslie Fross was presented with the Classified Employee Award of Excellence, with board member Sal Reyes introducing her.
“Miss Fross is the heart and soul of Farmington Elementary School,” Reyes said, adding that she is “charismatic, dedicated, and brings a special kind of energy, a little extra pizzazz that makes our Farmington campus a bright place each and every day.”
She has spent 17 years as a paraeducator in the district at Farmington and described it as the most fulfilling job she has ever had, while colleagues say that she always puts the well-being of the kids at the forefront.
“It’s a joy to work at Farmington, been there for 17 years. I will help elsewhere but I will never go anywhere else,” Fross said in accepting the award. “We have a strong staff, strong teachers and the kids are, as you all know, what it’s all about.”
Recognized with the Outstanding Teacher Award was Alyse Kisst, who has spent the past five years as a Special Education teacher at Dent Elementary. She was introduced by school board member Travis Cardoza.
“The Teacher of the Year award is given annually to a deserving educator in our district, someone who goes above and beyond to make a lasting impact on students, families and colleagues,” Cardoza explained.
Kisst was recognized for her ability to build a strong rapport with her students that allows them to exceed their expectations. Patient and compassionate were words that were used to describe her, added Cardoza.
“Teaching is such a privilege,” Kisst shared with the crowd as she accepted the award. “I’m honored to receive this award but it wouldn’t be possible without my incredible colleagues at Dent, a lot of them are here tonight, some of them are some of my closest friends … my supportive family and my students, who inspire me, challenge me and occasionally make me question my sanity, in the best way.”
She also thanked the administrative team at Dent for their continued support.
Finally, receiving the inaugural Administrator of the Year – Excellence in Leadership Award was Vista High School Teaching Principal Gustavo Arzac, who was introduced by school board president Kate Powell.
“We are excited to introduce our administrator award for the very first year and look forward to celebrating this for many years to come,” Powell said, adding that she felt it was fitting for Arzac to be the inaugural recipient, honoring the “true champion for all” that he is, day in and day out.
“You’re a born leader who has provided unwavering support, trust and encouragement,” Powell said.
In accepting the honor, Arzac admitted to being “shocked” that he was selected as the first recipient of the award. He also praised Fross and Kisst, citing them as the “unsung heroes” and offered congratulations to the three Hall of Fame inductees.
Arzac thanked those that had faith in him as he followed his path into teaching and then administration; stopping occasionally to blame “allergies” as he got choked up a couple of times.
Special recognition went to his wife and his mother, Verta, addressing her in Spanish, telling her that the award as Administrator of the Year wasn’t his alone; he wouldn’t have made it without her.
