Quick look: Kay Nakauchi of the Huntington Beach Union High School District is retiring after a 68-year career that impacted countless lives throughout the district.
When Kay Nakauchi was first hired at the Huntington Beach Union High School District in 1958, the world looked a little different.
The first ever Billboard Hot 100 had just been published, with Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool” debuting at No. 1. The NFL Championship — not yet known as the Super Bowl — was broadcast nationally for the first time, and NASA was founded to propel the United States in the Space Race.
What began that year as a job at a single high school would turn into a 68-year career spanning generations of students, educators and leaders — and one that helped shape the district itself.
“She didn’t just serve our district; she helped build it, sustain it, and guide it through decades of change,” said HBUHSD Board Member Dr. Duane Dishno.
Nakauchi’s journey with HBUHSD began long before her first day on the job. According to district officials, Nakauchi and her family were detained at the Manzanar Japanese American internment camp in 1942 following an executive order that displaced more than 120,000 people nationwide. Despite the hardships she endured, her perseverance and spirit never faded — qualities that would come to define both her character and career.
“Not only have I had a front-row seat to watching Kay shine over the years, she has also played a significant role in my life,” said HBUHSD Superintendent Dr. Carolee Ogata. “She taught me the importance of a strong work ethic and how to treat people with kindness while remaining professional. She has never strayed from these values, which makes her decades of service even more impressive.”
After graduating from Huntington Beach High School, Nakauchi attended Orange Coast College for a semester before returning to her alma mater in 1958 to begin her career with the district, according to HBUHSD officials. She later worked at Westminster High School and eventually transitioned to the HBUHSD main office, where she served as a stenographer, administrative secretary, executive secretary and certificated personnel secretary — the role she held until her retirement.
Over the years, Nakauchi observed first-hand the growth of HBUHSD, witnessing the opening of eight additional schools and serving under 13 superintendents and two interim superintendents. In her role as certificated personnel secretary, district officials credit her with helping hire over 6,000 certificated employees.
“If you graduated from one of our schools or had children or friends who attended, you can thank Kay for the literal thousands of teachers she helped process to be hired,” said HBUHSD Board President Dr. Bonnie Castrey.
In recognition of her extraordinary commitment, she was named an Orange County Classified Employee of the Year in 2018, in addition to receiving the County Superintendent Special Recognition Award for her longevity and kindness. HBUHSD also named its classified employee of the year honor after Nakauchi, now known as the Kay Nakauchi Employee of the Year Award.
After being a beloved constant in the district’s main office for decades, Nakauchi’s absence is deeply felt.
“Kay’s warm smile and delightful little laugh are greatly missed on a daily basis,” Dr. Castrey said. “She is one of the kindest, smartest women I have ever had the pleasure of working with and is a role model to us all.”