ORANGE, CALIF. — When the Milken Family Foundation (MFF) wanted everyone at a special school assembly, Assistant Principal Cyndi Paik knew something was up. On Dec. 8, after three date changes to ensure maximum attendance, Paik and the rest of California Elementary School joined the mayor of Orange and local media to learn why.

Someone won the National Educator Award … and $25,000! Every head in the assembly swiveled looking for the honoree. Then all eyes and cameras settled on a shocked Paik sitting in her chair when her name was called.

“When all the attention turned to me, [the presenter] Dr. [Jane] Foley had to hold my hand to calm me down enough to accept the award and make a speech,” said Paik.

The National Educator Award is awarded by the MFF to teachers and other education professionals who are furthering excellence in education.

“Cyndi Paik is admired among educators because she is a dynamic leader of a large, diverse elementary school,” said Foley, senior vice president at the MFF. “She is in the top one percent of all educators nationwide.”

Paik’s influence is evident all over California Elementary. Her collaborative effort with teachers to improve teaching styles has noticeably increased student attentiveness. Teachers put on “performances” instead of just lecturing in front of a class. Students are also given more attention through specific individual instruction and small group lessons.

“Kids that are hungry, you give them food. Kids that are thirsty, you give them water,” said Paik. “We ensure these kids get what they need every day instead of every other day.”

As a result, student scores in math and the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) have improved school-wide. However, it is the personal connection Paik has with students she finds most rewarding.

“I feel the kids that are aggressive or upset don’t have enough love and attention, so I visit them in classrooms, and I let them know that I care about them. They appreciate that, and they become the sweetest persons,” said Paik. “I treat everybody fairly and with respect, so I think that’s what the parents appreciate most about me, and the students, too.”

Outside of the classroom, Paik spends even more time monitoring new research and techniques for the classroom. She meets with parents often to better understand their concerns. Paik also leads the school’s Coordinated Compliance Review and special education programs. In between all her responsibilities, Paik is pursuing her doctorate degree in administration at the University of Southern California. Although the constant juggling becomes overwhelming at times, Paik wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I guess God made me this way. I try to manage my time efficiently so that when I’m at work, I give 100 percent of my efforts, and when I’m at home, I try to focus on studying,” said Paik. “I believe in being a lifelong learner because the day you stop learning, you’ve lived all your life.”