By: Sharon Collins Newton, Program Director, Parents as Teachers

Jaclyn is the absolute epitome of our compass points! She is a very kind, gracious, thoughtful, self-reflective, and conscientious person. She is determined and sets a very high standard for herself. Jaclyn’s self-driven attitude and work ethic have been remarkable. Jaclyn pushes herself to achieve and often goes above and beyond what is expected of her. She is always thinking of others before herself. Jaclyn’s perseverance and resilience are unwavering. She has to overcome the ever-present stigma that still exists in society today every day that she steps foot into the community. She has, from the very onset, expressed her desire to help lead the crusade against stigma. She volunteers and has shared her testimony at the Opioid Collaborative and Learn to Cope meetings. She is truly a loyal champion for the cause.

One of Jaclyn’s most valuable assets is her emotional intelligence, her people skills. This innate ability to connect with and empathize with others enhances everything she does in her role as PAT Peer Recovery Specialist/Parent Educator. Her smile, her nurturing spirit, her sincerity, and her down-to-earth approach is magnetic. She is a beacon of hope for families in our community who are isolated and struggling with addiction. I have received a multitude of compliments about Jaclyn from other community partners and participants in addition to the Department of Public Health. Perhaps the most important attribute that Jaclyn brings every day to our team, and this organization is her positive, can-do attitude! Her willingness to be coachable will continue to help take her anywhere she wants to go. Jaclyn has a vision for her future and has set a goal to become a board-certified Peer Recovery Coach. She already has an incredibly strong foundation beneath her toward all of her future endeavors.

– “ I’ll teach you how to jump on the wind’s back, and then away [ you ] go!“     _J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan