On February 13, 2025, The AUHSD School Board voted unanimously to name the Ball Junior High School Amphitheater after Mr. Alden Esping. Mr. Esping taught at Loara from 1990 to 1996 where he served as the Activities Director along with Mr. Paul Chylinski. Mr. Chylinski put forth a letter asking the school board to consider the naming, mainly because Mr. “E” (Esping) served as the long-running Activities Director and teacher at Ball Junior High, creating a school of connections and community. Below are the words Mr. Chylinski delivered before the vote.
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Good evening, and thank you School Board, Superintendent Matsuda, and the AUHSD Community. It’s an honor to speak about someone who has had an immeasurable impact on this community—Alden Esping.
To live in Anaheim is to know Alden. He’s not just a friend, a mentor, or a guiding force to so many of us—he’s the very definition of community. If you think of Anaheim, you think of Alden. His work at Ball Junior High School began in 1965, and his legacy continues to echo, especially in this very building.
Let me ask if you were a student, a colleague, or if you are now a friend of Alden’s to please stand up, and you’ll see what community looks like. I know Alden and Linda are watching this on YouTube. Wave to the camera.
Alden ran the Student Leadership classes until 1996, shaping the school’s culture and leaving a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of students. For many of us, our memories of junior high are inseparable from Alden standing on that stage, pom-pom in hand, rallying us all with energy and enthusiasm.
He didn’t just teach in the classroom. Alden made sure the entire student body—whether at Ball Junior High or Loara High School or even through his work with the YMCA—was part of something bigger than themselves. He knew how to build community. Year after year, Alden took a group of boys on trips to San Francisco, fundraising through hard work in the community. These trips, and countless others, allowed us to form bonds that continue today. He took kids to Catalina Island, to camp in the mountains, and to leadership events—all with one goal: to build relationships, create memories, and foster leadership.
In his career, Alden also became a recognized leader in statewide and national organizations. As a CADA Ambassador, he expanded the reach of student activities and pioneered leadership camps, leaving his mark across California. His recognition—such as being inducted into the CADA Hall of Fame and being named Orange County Teacher of the Year—was well-deserved. But the real legacy? It’s us—those who had the privilege of learning from him.
Alden showed us that activities directors don’t just organize events. They build community. He was there for us, even when it wasn’t his job. He didn’t get paid to send us on trips or to organize camps; he did it because he believed in what we could become. Teachers build inside the classroom. Coaches build on the field. But activity directors like Alden built something that lasted far beyond those spaces—a community that continues to thrive today.
And it wasn’t just Anaheim; Alden’s influence stretches far and wide. Every time I run into someone connected to Ball Junior High or Loara High, I see Alden’s legacy. He and his wife Linda gave us all a space to grow, connect, and support each other and they are still doing that today. That’s something you can’t put a price on, and it’s why we’re here today.
So to Alden we say Thank You. The work you have done has not only shaped countless students and entire schools but also their communities as a whole. You showed us that student activities are more than posters and balloon arches, they’re about providing connection, purpose, and meaning to the entire student body. The activities directors throughout this district today are a testimony to your work and so I urge the school board to approve this small gesture and token of appreciation for a lifetime of dedicated service to AUHSD and the entire community. On a personal note, I live and work through Alden, his influence became my influence…
And Alden, if you’re still watching, Your impact has reached beyond the classroom, the school, and the years. This recognition is long overdue, and we are grateful that your legacy will continue to live on in the space, where it all began. Thank you for showing us what true leadership and community look like, and remember, Once a Saxon, Always a Saxon.
