Thank you to everyone in the Acknowledge Alliance family for making this year’s Forget-Me-Not: Fields of Hope event on April 30th a huge success. We had a wonderful time sharing our passion for the work we do, learning together about nurturing resilience in ourselves and young people, and honoring this year's outstanding educators and community leaders.
Here are a few highlights from the event, and you can check out all the evening’s photos by Inspired By Studio here and recordings on our Youtube channel.
The evening’s program began with a keynote by Educator, Nonviolence Practitioner and Author, Mike Tinoco, M.Ed., titled “Slow Urgency: How Do We Sustain Ourselves and Work From Within Unjust Systems to Create Change”. Mike spoke about how Kingian nonviolence and nonviolent communication can help us to nourish hope and care for ourselves and others during challenging times. Mike shared how the Kingian Nonviolence philosophy and methodology was the heart of the civil rights movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many unsung heroes and heroines, and how we could reflect and learn from their example when faced with our own current challenges. By slowing down, meeting the moment with centeredness instead of panic, and prioritizing our own needs and well-being, we are better able to hold on to our vision and improve our efficacy as educators.
Jean Hamilton, LMFT, was presented with the Cleo Eulau Legacy of Resilience award for her over 20 years serving as an Acknowledge Alliance Clinical Supervisor and Resilience Consultant in the Redwood City and Sunnyvale School Districts. The award’s namesake, Cleo Eulau, was our founder and a distinguished clinical social worker whose celebrated career spanned decades in the mental health field. She dedicated her life to supporting at-risk youth in achieving productive and happy lives, and served as an inspiration, mentor and role model to countless mental health professionals. Jean wholly embodies Cleo’s enduring spirit and continues her legacy with her unwavering compassion, empathy, expertise, and commitment. Jean has supported so many educators to grow and navigate life’s challenges, which in turn has positively impacted the lives of countless students.
Principal Sebastian Benavidez of Graham Middle School was honored as the 2025 Educator of the Year. As Rachel Bacosa, the onsite Resilience Consultant at Graham shared, Principal Benavidez’s deep care for his staff is remarkable. He prioritizes their social-emotional needs, understanding that this foundation is crucial for everything that follows with students and families. Principal Benavidez has cultivated a culture where individuals feel supported, respected, and empowered to be their best selves. He models well-being and resilience with authenticity and invites others to do the same - inside school and beyond. The appreciation for Principal Benavidez is so palpable, that educators at Graham Middle School created this video sharing their messages of gratitude and congratulations.
Dr. Michael Gallagher, Superintendent of the Sunnyvale School District, was honored as the Acknowledge Alliance Community Hero. Dr. Gallagher exemplifies our agency values of collaboration and nurturing relationships in service of our greater community. He is a champion of improving school communities, and building lifelong resilience and social emotional well-being of our youth and educators. He has partnered with Acknowledge Alliance to create innovative employee support systems including on-campus resilience consultants and support groups focused on building teacher resilience. Dr. Gallagher is a widely recognized expert in the areas of social-emotional learning and interest-based bargaining, and we were thrilled to recognize his many years of community leadership and synergistic partnership.