Nurse’s service awarded

Marcia BMarthaler, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s most decorated nurse, earned more recognition Friday morning, when Costa Mesa Assemblyman Van Tran presented her with a resolution honoring her service to children.

At a ceremonial breakfast held in the Newport-Mesa district headquarters, BMarthaler and more than 60 other Orange County nurses received certificates of recognition for their work. Tran, a Republican, hosted the event for the second year in a row.

Earlier this year, BMarthaler ? whose moniker is a combination of her middle initial and surname ? won the Orange County School Nurses Organization’s award for school nurse administrator of the year. At the Friday event, Tran presented her with a framed resolution trumpeting her eight-year career in Newport-Mesa.

“This is such an honor for me, but really and truly, I feel the honor goes to every person in this room,” BMarthaler told the crowd. “We don’t work in a vacuum. Without the school nurses we have and their willingness to work 150%, this just wouldn’t happen.”

At one point, when a group of photographers began snapping pictures of Tran and BMarthaler together, the assemblyman muttered, “Lots of photos,” to which a voice in the audience shot back, “We love her a lot.”

The hour-long breakfast recognized all the school nurses in the 68th Assembly district, which covers Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Westminster and Garden Grove. Nearly a dozen other Newport-Mesa nurses received certificates, although many were absent from the event.

Tran and three of his assistants, all male, handed out the awards. Toward the end of the ceremony, Tran glanced around the room and humorously noted the demographics.

“I just noticed something here,” he said with a grin. “The men are honoring the women.”dpt.15-nurse-CPhotoInfo901QUB7Q20060514iz6dp0ncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Marcia BMarthaler, right, a school nurse, holds an award presented by Assemblyman Van Tran.