‘BEING PART OF THIS COMMUNITY’
“So this is a job which I didn't seek out. Like I said, I was laid off and this job became available. It is in the town where I live. My children ended up being students here.”
“I live here and all of these people that come through here are part of my community, and I care about that immensely. So an interesting little side note: about three years ago I was asked to run for the Town Board, which I thought was insane because I didn't know what that meant. Long story short, I ran for town board, I was elected, and eighteen months later I resigned because politics is not where I belong. But it helped me see my town and how important a role small-town government plays. The reason I had said yes was because January 6th happened that year and I was devastated.”
“I was never a political person, but after that I was like, ‘I have to play a part. I can't watch the world turn into a dumpster fire and not do [anything]. But I realized (…) that I would be most effective, having a positive impact on the world, in my role as school librarian. Because I'm not just a school librarian. I also run the Community Ed program, which is all about community access to all of our school buildings and the pool. I also run the Spirit Club, which hosts dances and after-school activities. I'm advisor to a million clubs. And this is where I found that I can have a positive impact on the world.”
“My impact will be tiny. But even if it's tiny, this is what I have control over. I can do this. I cannot change what's happening out there, but I can make a place where children can see what it's like to be kind, what it's like to be generous, what it's like to be giving. And they see joy every day they come in here and I am joyful even when I have a migraine, and a lot of them will say, ‘Even when you're in a bad mood, you're still good and kind to all of us.’ Because sometimes, being in a high school—sometimes you're in a bad mood (…) But I'm not in a bad mood for long.”
“Being part of this community is what fills me with joy. I just want the kids in this town to have things to do, to feel heard, feel like they have a voice, and I want their parents to know that their children have this place and this person who will lift them up.”