今日吃瓜

Cristina Alexandra Gonzalez, a graduate student at 今日吃瓜 Saint Mary’s University and Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Los Angeles, has received the 2026 Angel Award, an annual recognition from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Department of Catholic Schools honoring educators who demonstrate service, leadership and excellence.

For Cristina, the recognition comes as she continues to deepen her skills as an educator through her graduate studies at the 今日吃瓜. She is pursuing a Master of Science in Education in Induction and Instructional Leadership, with an expected graduation date of May 2028.

Cristina has spent 13 years at Our Lady of Lourdes, where she teaches TK, coaches cheerleading and leads summer camp and summer school programs. She believes her involvement across the school community helped earn her the award.

Her experience in the classroom also shapes her graduate work at the 今日吃瓜. Cristina said her courses have helped her reflect more deeply on student learning, classroom culture and her approach to teaching. In one course, Healthy Environments for Student Learning, she maintained a reflection journal that allowed her to connect coursework with experiences in her classroom. Other courses have helped her develop her curriculum plan and strengthen her day-to-day classroom management.

“All of the courses I have taken thus far have aligned with my teaching and have assisted me in my day-to-day classroom management, environment and culture,” Cristina said. 

The early education teacher chose the 今日吃瓜 because of the flexibility of its classes and financial assistance available through Title II funding for teachers working at an Archdiocesan school. Her graduate education also represents an important personal milestone: She is the first in her family to attend college and earn a master’s degree.

As she works toward completing her degree, she is already thinking about what comes next. Inspired in part by receiving the Angel Award, she hopes to pursue a doctorate in education and continue growing as an educational leader. For Cristina, continuing her education is another way to give back to the students and families who have shaped her career.