Valley Center’s Hornet family is reeling from the loss of two of its own after a mother and son — a third-grade teacher and incoming senior — died in a crash.
Erin Moreno, 42, and her son, Anthony Barrera, 17, died July 28 when the SUV in which they were passengers rear-ended a semi-truck on the Kansas Turnpike in Lyon County near Emporia.
Moreno was a third-grade science teacher at West Elementary School in the Valley Center School District; Barrera was entering his senior year at Valley Center High School.
Friends and family remembered them for different reasons: Moreno as a lover of Christmas, so much so that she would decorate for it at Halloween; and Barrera as a gregarious teen who made straight As.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of two members of our Hornet family,” USD 262 said in a statement. “We offer our sincere condolences to Erin and Anthony’s family and to all in our community who have been impacted by this tragedy.”
Passion for kids and teaching
Kelly Knoblauch met Moreno in 2019 after moving to Valley Center from Kingman. The two entered the school district at the same time, but initially taught at different schools. A tragedy brought the two women close in January.