Professional Partner of the Month: May 2007
Pat Melpolder
“Pat Melpolder has a tremendous love for students and would do anything for them to assist them educationally or personally. She always goes out of her way to be of help to her students. She has the biggest heart for students of anyone that I know. Her involvement goes above and beyond the school day.”
- Frank McClard, Asst. Superintendent, Union City Area School District
“Pat is a gem. The multiple, 10-hour round-trips she makes from Erie County to get her kids to and from camp (and register them) in State College are examples of her incredible commitment and sacrifice for children.”
- Marc McCann, The Second Mile
“She is everything and more that a Principal would want in a guidance counselor - OUTSTANDING! I think she is unique because she is so capable in so many areas.”
- Gwyn Horner, Co-Principal, 3-5, Union City Area School District
For those who don’t know Pat Melpolder, the above words may seem overstated. To those who do know her, the above words capture neither the nuances nor the extent of what she means to the children in her area. For her outstanding work, The Second Mile is proud to recognize Pat Melpolder as its May Professional Partner of the Month.
An elementary school counselor at Union City Elementary School (Union City, PA, in Erie County), Pat Melpolder serves approximately 620 children, pre-K through 5th grade, as well as an Intermediate Unit autistic classroom. There is not enough space to list all of the things she does, but this short sample gives an idea of the breadth and depth of her work:
- Assists with plays and productions
- Refers students to The Second Mile’s Summer Challenge Camp Program, works with these students during the school year, and then drives them to and from State College in July
- Counsels children with a variety of issues on a daily basis, helping students with needs ranging from those of normal development, to emotional, to those dealing with a lack of resources
- Provides rides to students to/from school when needed because of sickness, car trouble, and the like
- Facilitates Peer Mediators, a group that works to solve playground conflicts
- Acts as organizer of this year’s Charity Follies, a fundraiser for the Union City Foundation
- Teaches gifted children
When Mrs. Melpolder was asked what gives her the most satisfaction in her job, she responded that it is her love of working with the families to help their kids grow into responsible young people, as well as being part of the team of terrific staff members that really loves kids. The variety of each day motivates Pat to come into her office each day, despite the increased challenges she is facing in trying to help children who may come to school distracted by trouble in their homes, their neighborhoods, our nation, or in the world. Counselors these days, she says, do much more than in the past, now acting as social workers, arbitrators, and even parents in order to help children who may arrive hungry, confused, upset, or angry.
Pat sees a lot of her work with children revolving around helping them to become strong problem solvers of their worlds, and to believe in themselves and their abilities. The Second Mile, she says, steps in by aiding those good kids that need a little boost, saying, in effect, "You can go far in this life by setting goals and working toward them."
Pat is happily married to an electrical engineer, and the couple has four daughters in addition to recently becoming grandparents. Pat enjoys travel, music, and involvement in her church. She lives by the motto, “Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing is so gentle as real strength" (Francis DeSales). Luckily for the Union City Area School District, Pat Melpolder is living strongly and gently, taking on daily challenges she and her students face. The Second Mile salutes her for the powerful, positive impact she makes, and has made, on all those around her.
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