Oscar Luna championing city parks

Part of a continuing series highlighting local leaders, including members of the Wasco Recreation and Parks District board. Other stories can be found on WascoTrib.com.

Oscar Luna is in his second year serving on the Parks and Recreation board, bringing to the role his experience as the assistant superintendent of the Wasco Union Elementary School District since July 2022. He also has nearly 15 years of experience in school administration. In addition, he has served as the president of the Wasco Rotary Club.

A lifelong resident of Wasco, Luna said his background as a product of public service inspired him to take on roles like being a board member and working in education. Coming from a family of immigrants, he benefited from financial aid to attend undergraduate school, was a first-generation college student and participated in the migrant program.

"If it weren't for people who believed in me, maybe my future wouldn't have been that," Luna said in an interview recently. "I firmly believe that in a community like Wasco, to maintain tradition and have productive advancement, you need people to serve. That is why I feel if I want to have an impact and improve the future of Wasco and the community as a whole; it's about rolling up our sleeves and doing the hard work that needs to happen in order for meaningful change to happen."

Over his time on the board, he is most proud of how the district has built and strengthened collaborations with the city, community and other partners. "To make a parks and rec district the best it can be, you can't do things alone. Things can't get off the ground if you don't have partners. I think things are coming together for the betterment of Wasco. We all have a shared vision and mission, and when we roll in the same direction, we can accomplish a lot more."

Luna is passionate about youth and views serving on the board as a way to empower young people through the programs the district offers, providing them with a safe space to stay off the streets. He also believes in creating green spaces where the community can find a sense of belonging, with areas for families to come together, share moments and enjoy aesthetically pleasing surroundings, allowing them to take pride in their community and create lasting memories as families.

He said that top of mind for the board is "How can we make our parks visually appealing and create spaces for all ages to gather and build community? We need to make the parks look better to attract people to go and take pride in the park. It's the pinnacle number one goal for us, and it's about how to make the right investments with the right money, the right resources, the right staff for upkeep and maintenance and the support of our director for realizing that vision and moving that initiative forward."

Apart from the year-round youth sports programs Parks and Rec offers at affordable prices, Luna said he is proud of the many activities they bring to the community throughout the year. "Especially during Christmas, we want to provide opportunities for joy and comfort, not only to kids but to families, such as our Light Up Wasco Community Cruise and Letters to Santa."