Carden community thanks principal

Students at Carden Academy of Huntington Beach joined with past students, community members, teachers and friends Thursday to celebrate the professional career of one of their own.

The school put on the celebration to thank Edith Hanlon for her 25 years as principal of Carden with singing, dancing, balloons and cake.

“She’s a really nice person, and she doesn’t get mad at people,” 8-year-old Aiden Nguyen said. “She’s really happy all the time and smiling.”

The USC graduate began teaching at Carden 28 years ago and isn’t ready to retire yet. Hanlon helped pioneer the Carden approach to learning, according to school Director Carol Van Asten, which focuses on teaching students to read at a young age using phonetics. Fellow teachers, parents past and present and community members — including Mayor Keith Bohr and Chamber of Commerce President Joyce Riddell — were guest speakers at the event.

Ted Gregory, parent of Carden graduate Adrianna Gregory, 16, attributed the successes in his daughter’s life to the foundation and guidance Hanlon provided.

“Ms. Hanlon is a precious and unique woman whose work is her love made visible, and it’s an honor to honor her,” Gregory said in his speech.

The students honored Hanlon by singing “Proud to be an American” and “All-American Beauty,” and the seventh grade performed a dance they had choreographed themselves. The preschoolers ended the event with a song wearing daisy paper crowns and presented Hanlon with a bouquet of real daisies.

“I’m overwhelmed. I didn’t look at the program, so everything was a surprise,” Hanlon said. “Every minute was wonderful. They did it themselves, and I don’t think they had a lot of time.”

— Britney Barnes