CII Teacher Citlali Gudino Surprised by Ellen Pompeo with Pandora Honor

Citlali Gudino is a dedicated CII preschool teacher who regularly goes above and beyond for her students and their families, especially during this unprecedented school year. To celebrate her passion and commitment, Pandora North America and renowned actress and producer, Ellen Pompeo, crafted a carefully planned, socially-distanced surprise to honor her with gifts and a donation of $25,000 to Children’s Institute on her behalf.

Throughout this holiday season, Pandora and Ellen Pompeo are recognizing teachers across the U.S. with ‘surprise and delight’ moments, gifting Pandora’s Timeless Collection to more than two dozen educators and highlighting one exceptional teacher – Citlali – with their donation to Children’s Institute.

“We are so appreciative to receive this generous donation from Pandora North America and provide recognition to one of our dedicated teachers,” said Martine Singer, President & CEO of Children’s Institute. “Citlali is dependable, kind and was quick to adapt to the challenges of virtual learning at the beginning of the pandemic. With resilience and positivity, she quickly began providing fun, engaging Zoom sessions for her students and actively supported their families through the challenges of this new normal.”

“It is important to acknowledge this amazing group of people across the nation that did not enlist as essential workers, but that have exceeded all job expectations to bring education, joy and stability to their students in a tumultuous year,” said Karen Chisholm, Vice President Marketing North America at Pandora Jewelry. “We are pleased to recognize Citlali Gudino and Children’s Institute for their outstanding achievements and provide financial support for their continued work.”

“As a mom, I think all of us can relate to how important teachers are in our children’s lives and how we respect them and cherish them. I am delighted to join forces with Pandora North America, as I fully stand behind their mission to provide resources to a wonderful organization like Children’s Institute,” stated Pandora North America ambassador, Ellen Pompeo. “It was a wonderful and joyous moment to surprise Citlali and honor her dedication to her students.”

Pandora North America is also donating 100% of the proceeds from custom art prints – created by four women artists and inspired by Pandora, love and unity – directly to Children’s Institute. Prints made by Ashley Lukashevsky, Amber Vittoria, Alia Penner and Ariel Sinha are available for purchase for $30 per print through December 31 via Shopify.

Congratulations, Citlali! We are so proud of you and grateful for your dedication and hard work.