In Memoriam: Kayla Khouzam 

Kayla Khouzam, an alumna of the College of Education and Integrative Studies, recently passed away after a car crash on Friday, Dec. 23.

Kayla was born on Feb. 11, 2000 to her parents, Joseph and Rhina Khouzam. She was an exceptional student and an inspiration to her classmates. She was intelligent, caring, compassionate and a wonderful friend to all. She loved to be around children and was looking forward to having her own classroom the following year.

In her brief but meaningful life, she was an effective advocate for children. She was dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to a quality education. Her teaching philosophy was to create a positive learning environment that would empower all children to be creative and feel heard. She also emphasized the importance of parent involvement and how that influences the learning process. She often promoted the significance of story time to enhance early literacy skills among children.

In a joint statement, the Khouzam family said, "Kayla Theresa Khouzam was known for her infectious smile, her uplifting spirit, determination and drive to succeed. As sad as we are, we are fortunate to have all the memories, stories and adventures for 22 years. She would always say, ‘You can do anything if you put your heart into it.’ Kayla, you will forever be loved and with us."

As the saying goes, astronauts, physicists, musicians, doctors, engineers, lawyers and all the other professions that make the world go around have one thing in common – a good teacher who gave light to their dreams. Goodbye to an amazing teacher.

Kayla is survived by her mother and father – Rhina and Joseph Khouzam; her brother – Malik Khouzam; and so many other loving relatives and friends. Her funeral services were held on Monday, January 16 at Rose Hill Cemetery in Whittier, California.