From left are Julie DePrada-Schott, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union; Karen Beukema, Twin Rivers Unified School District; Efrain Alanis, Twin Rivers Unified School District; Dinger the River Cats mascot; Paul Keefer, Sacramento County Board of Education; Marythony Sohl, San Juan Unified School District; and Terry Douglas, Folsom-Cordova Unified School District.

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union serving school employees and their families, recently celebrated nine outstanding classified school employees from the Sacramento region.

These individuals, representing a wide range of essential non-certificated, non-management roles, were named 2025 Sacramento County Classified School Employees of the Year. 

To celebrate their contributions, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union hosted the honorees and their families at the Sacramento River Cats game on June 29, where they were honored during an on-field ceremony.

Among the honorees was Folsom Cordova Unified School District’s Bryan Cooper, a technical services specialist who was also among nine recognized statewide as a Classified School Employees of the Year by the California Department of Education.

“It’s a privilege to recognize the contributions of classified school employees for their dedication and leadership in their schools and communities,” said Josh Smith, vice-president, school and community relations for SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. “Classified employees are vital to ensuring daily education operations run smoothly and are often unsung heroes behind the scenes providing administrative, technical and operational support for the students and teachers.”

Sacramento-area honorees included Manuela Aguilar Dominguez (Food and Nutrition Services), Terry Douglas (Security Services, Duane Martinez (Transportation Services) and Gerald Worley (Custodial and Maintenance Services) ) from San Juan Unified School District; Marythony Sohl (Clerical and Administrative Services) and David Wilkerson (Skilled Trades Services) from Folsom Cordova Unified School District; Efrain Alanis (Health and Student Services) and Karen Beukema (Paraprofessional Services) from Twin Rivers Unified School District.

This event was part of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union’s statewide initiative to honor the vital contributions of classified school employees. In 2025, the credit union recognized 30 individuals across four California counties.