UPDATE (3:16 p.m.): Anne Galvas, who serves as the homeless liaison and coordinator of the Homeless Outreach Promoting Education (HOPE) program for Vancouver Public Schools, is the 2013 Washington State Classified School Employee of the Year the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced today.

Before announcing the State Classified School Employee of the Year, the state superintendent’s chief of staff, Ken Kanikeberg, recognized all of the regional finalists, nominated by their respective educational service districts, and presented each of them with a custom-made award from Hilltop Artists in Tacoma.

Every year one classified school employee in Washington state is named employee of the year by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Only eight finalists are nominated for the award.

Richard Haskins, a campus security officer for Central Kitsap High School, was nominated and will represent the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas as the Olympic Educational Service District’s nominee.

On Friday, April 19, Haskins will be honored by the state superintendent’s office along with the seven other finalists. And one of them will receive the additional honor of being named Classified School Employee of the Year.

The ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. Friday and will take place in the East Wing Lobby of the Old Capitol Building in Olympia. The state superintendent’s chief of staff, Ken Kanikeberg, will present the awards and announce the state-wide winner.

The other nominees from around the state are Sharon Condrey from ESD 101, Spokane, Lewis & Clark High School; Cynthia Cisneros from ESD 105, Mabton, Artz-Fox Elementary; Anne Galvas from ESD 112, Vancouver; Margaret Douglas from ESD 113, North Thurston, Pleasant Glade Elementary; Meagan Rhoades from Puget Sound ESD 121, White River; Carol Garneau North Central ESD 171, Moses Lake, Longview Elementary; and Lori Oelfke from Northwest ESD 189, Mount Vernon, Mount Baker Middle School.