News

It is with great pleasure that we announce our 2025 Alumni of the Year Award recipient: Aukeem Ballard ‘07. Aukeem’s impact has been felt both during his time at CWA as well as throughout the many communities he has been part of since graduating from Charles Wright Academy. He is a Tarrier through and through, and fun fact, he was the one who coined the iconic phrase “Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!” We had the honor of welcoming Aukeem back to campus for Founders’ Day.

About Aukeem: Aukeem is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Education at the University of California, Berkeley, where he focuses on Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender. His research explores phenomena that are often hard to trace, such as affect, emotional and psychological labor, and sense-making in K-12 public school contexts.   As a Graduate Student Researcher, he closely collaborates with faculty on equity-driven projects and is actively involved in campus groups where he has led and supported initiatives to create more just and inclusive climates for his department and the campus at large. 

Before pursuing his doctoral studies, Aukeem spent over eight years in public schools.  At Summit Public Schools, he served as a classroom teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Director, Assistant Principal, and then Co-Principal. His work included co-leading school operations, supporting faculty and student culture, and designing professional development initiatives. He began his career in education as a middle school teacher at Lane Middle School in Portland, Oregon, where he co-created a middle school slam poetry/spoken word program across the district with other teachers and students.

Aukeem holds an M.A. in Teaching and a B.A. in Rhetoric and Media Studies from Lewis & Clark College. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to advancing justice and transformation in education through research, teaching, leadership, and mentorship. 

When examining our Portrait of a Tarrier, Aukeem embodies every quality that we hope our alumni carry into the world. He was the first Sheridan Scholarship recipient to graduate from Charles Wright Academy, and he beams with pride when reflecting on the impact that the Sheridan Scholarship has had on his life as a young man from Hilltop and the access that it created to support his educational pursuits later in life. Aukeem is an educator, administrator, a consultant, a youth mentor, a community culture & climate leader, and a lifelong learner. We look forward to the long-term impact he will have on future generations in the Bay Area in the years to come.

Please join us in congratulating Aukeem for this honor! Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier! Aukeem is happy to connect with fellow Tarriers and can be contacted via LinkedIn.