Welcome to Fundraising February 2023!
LAEF is doing very important work to support student mental health and wellness across all nine Los Alamitos USD campuses. LAEF funds Well Spaces, which are calm, safe, and comfortable places for students to reset and receive counseling support. LAEF is seeking your support to maximize these spaces to meet all student needs. Please donate now!
Thank you to our amazing sponsors!
They support education in our community and deserve your patronage! Click their logo to find out more.
SCU
Alamitos EC
CNB
Clean Wave
RS CRUM
Rhodenburg
Mamas
EH Const
Pac West
Edward Jones
King FG
Simon Law
P DeMatteo
Sun News
Event News
Epson
Rachlin
Friday Night Lights
WestGroup
Method Technologies
School Portraits
CHOC Los Al Ped
INCO Commercial
Appling
Barnes Accountancy
Watson Land Co
F&M Bank
CIU
Cherished Memories
There are many AMAZING items to bid on and support LAEF and Los Al Kids! Items include travel packages, restaurant gift cards, sports tickets, health and beauty packages, kids activities, and so much more!
Our signature event of fundraising february - the royal gala - was a Huge success!
The Gala was held on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 6:30 p.m at
The Grand - 4101 E. Willow Street, Long Beach, CA 90815
We kicked off Fundraising February for Los Al Kids by crowning our 2023 Queen and King -
Mrs. Erin Kominsky and Mr. Dave Locke.
The evening featured open seating, dinner via three food stations, cash bars, DJ,
exclusive auction items and a paddle raise to support district Well Spaces.
The suggested attire was dressy casual.
check out photos from the royal gala
We would like to thank everyone who attended our 2023 Royal Gala or have supported our annual Royal Gala in past years. We love this special time with you and sincerely hope to see you at the 2024 LAEF Royal Gala!
LAEF accepts nominations and selects a King and/or Queen
to honor and serve as the LAEF royal ambassador for the year -
congratulations to our 2023 royals!
LAEF’s 2023 King is Dave Locke! Dave has been a dedicated parent leader in Los Alamitos Unified since 2008.
Dave began volunteering to support Los Al kids when his children were attending Hopkinson Elementary School. He served as the Hopkinson PTA treasurer in 2011 and 2012, then as president in 2013 and 2014. He went on to serve as the McAuliffe PTA secretary and the LAHS Baseball Booster Club treasurer for 2018-19. He also has served on the St. Hedwig Baseball Board, and was the All Star Commissioner as well as a coach.
Dave supported efforts to pass the recent school bond Measure G campaign by taking on the role of Campaign Co-Chair. This successful campaign provided funding for the newly opened STEM Building at LAHS and is funding the second gym, which is currently in development. He was named Los Alamitos Unified’s Hero of the Heart in 2019.
Mr. Locke began supporting LAEF in 2016 as a Campaign Manager for a friend’s King of Hearts campaign. He coordinated and supported many fundraising efforts and began donating his professional photography skills, which he has donated time and time again. In addition, Dave has donated auction packages that provide private flights and hotel stays. His efforts have raised tens of thousands of dollars for LAEF and Los Al kids. Dave and his wife, Michelle, are founding members of the Los Al Leadership Circle, LAEF’s major donor group. They even opened their home to host the LAEF donor appreciation event in the Spring of 2021.
Beyond his endless work for Los Al, Dave is a small business entrepreneur and professional flight instructor, plus volunteers at his church. He and Michelle reside in Rossmoor. Their son and daughter attended Hopkinson Elementary, McAuliffe Middle School and graduated from LAHS. Megan is a freshman at Southern Utah University where she is on the gymnastics team. Zachary is a sophomore at Florida Southwestern State College where he is on the baseball team.
LAEF’s 2023 Queen is Erin Kominsky! In June 2022, Mrs. Kominsky retired as Principal of Oak Middle School after 38 years of service. Prior to Oak, she served as Principal of Weaver Elementary School for 19 years, which included the reopening of the school in 1996.
Mrs. Kominsky’s leadership of both school communities is truly unparalleled. She introduced many best practices, curriculum, and strategies that led to Weaver being rated as the #1 school in Orange County time and time again. The Weaver team was instrumental in bringing CGI, ST Math with piano instruction for all students, The Cotsen Foundation, Language and Math walls and F & P reading assessments that eventually became signature practices in Los Al.
Erin was named Administrator of the Year in 2004, Woman of the Year for the California Legislature in 2005, and a National Distinguished Principal for the State of California in 2012. Weaver received California Distinguished School, National Blue Ribbon and Golden Bell awards.
She began her educational career as a naturalist for the Los Angeles County Outdoor Education program at Colby Ranch. It was there that a principal from Rowland Unified invited her to become a teacher at her school. Her love for education soon led her to become a site administrator.
Mrs. Kominsky’s support for LAEF has been tremendous. She welcomed LAEF after-school classes, STEAM Fairs, and fundraising efforts onto both campuses and encouraged families to participate and staff members to support them. She ran for Queen of Hearts in 2016-17 and personally fundraised over $26,000 to support STEAM education across the district.
Mrs. Kominsky is an inspiring and passionate leader who cares deeply about our District community. She has a wealth of educational and institutional knowledge and is an exemplary principal who is positive and determined.
She lives in Fountain Valley with her husband Fred and son Maxx. Her mom lives close by, and she loves to spend precious time with her. LAEF is thrilled to honor Mrs. Kominsky and we look forward to her serving as our Royal Ambassador for 2023!
LAEF’s APPOINTED rOYALS
LAEF’s Past royal courts
