Former Tiger earns national educator award and a spot in the Lemoore High's Hall of Fame

Broaddus, an excellent student while at Lemoore High, was the school’s newspaper editor her senior year, was a star player on the school’s tennis team, and early on decided that thanks to her teachers – her favorite being longtime LHS teacher Cathy Siegel – she would spend her life as an educator and writer.

“Being inducted into the LHS Hall of Fame is something I would have never expected, but I’m very grateful for the honor,” said Broaddus. “I truly feel like my years at LHS helped prepare me for college and beyond. My favorite teacher was Cathy Siegel. Her guidance, support, and teaching were instrumental in my choice to become an educator and a writer.”

She has certainly succeeded beyond her teenage expectations, and for her contributions to her community and beyond, Broaddus, on Oct. 21 in the Lemoore Civic Auditorium, will be inducted into the Lemoore Union High School District Foundation for Educational Excellence Hall of Fame.

“Working on the Tiger Tribune and being the editor my senior year was such a great experience, working alongside my friends and classmates,” she remembered.  “We always felt like we were doing something important and contributing to our school community.

“LHS gave me a great education background and plenty of opportunities, and I know that was instrumental in shaping my future.”
Mandy Smoker Broaddus currently serves as the Director of Indian Education at the Montana Office of Public Instruction and grew up seeing the hardships on Indian reservations and knows how important, and sometimes difficult it is for Native Americans to receive an education. Because of her work with Native Americans, Broaddus was named the National Indian Education Association’s Educator of the Year in 2015.

The accolades didn’t end there. Earlier this year, President Obama named Broaddus to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, and she will advise the Secretary of Education and Congress on the administration and funding of Alaska Native and American Indian programs.

Not bad for a kid from Lemoore, California.

Broaddus earned her bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and master’s degrees from UCLA and the University of Montana. She taught at Frazer Public Schools before joining Montana’s Office of Public Instruction.

The Foundation will indeed be busy that night. It will be honoring a large contingent of former students, “friends” and athletes at the induction dinner on Oct. 21 in the Civic Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are $50 per person and can be obtained at the Lemoore High School District office at 5 Powell St. or the Lemoore Best Western at the corner of Bush Street and D Street.

In addition to Broaddus, this year’s inductees also include Deneen Perreira Guss, Class of 1983; Marc Raygoza, Class of 1991, and longtime California Highway Patrolman Jerry Pierce, who will receive the Gary Sedgwick Award, given to a key supporter of Lemoore High School, and someone who did not graduate from the school.
Other athletic inductees include the 2005 football team, coached by Shaun Ball, that won the Central Section championship and the 2004 girls’ varsity soccer team, coached by Francisco Pimentel.

Another Central Section champion, the 2004 girls’ volleyball team, coached by Kelly Brown, will also earn entry into the Hall of Fame.