Professional Partner of the Month: June 2009
Eileen Dunn
"Eileen is always there to help whoever is in need. Eileen puts in countless hours at school. It is not unusual to find Eileen in her office at 6, 7 or 8 p.m. She lives in the Bellefonte area. Despite the long distance drive and her ongoing commitment to her family, Eileen's selfless attitude is committed to helping her students."
- Abby Brown, MSW, School-Based Counselor, Lycoming County
"Ms. Dunn draws satisfaction from seeing kids who struggle, for whatever reason, get back on track and experience success. Her philosophy on working with children is 'Whatever needs to be done!' She strives to make sure the mental health needs of the students are met so their educational goals can be realized."
- Reed B. Mellinger, Principal, Jersey Shore Area Middle School
Perhaps Teddy Roosevelt was thinking of Eileen when he said, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Eileen's own description of her personal and professional philosophy is, "Wherever you go, that's where you are." That philosophy is reflected in her life and work.
She speaks of the pleasure of her family life with John (husband), Raela (13 year old daughter), and their pet crew of chickens, a dog and a parakeet in Bellefonte. The same pleasure is reflected in her description of earlier times in New Jersey, Washington DC, California and North Carolina. It seems that good people find good people and have good experiences wherever they go. Eileen is truly a good person.
Eileen provides support through the leadership of a Peer Helpers/Mediators group which features students helping students within the school. She "coaches" a group of female students who are members of a "Girls on the Run" self-improvement program and coordinates many special programs throughout the school year. Along with the many ongoing counseling and guidance services Eileen provides, she makes many competent referrals to The Second Mile Challenge Program and to the Friend Program. Second Mile Program Director, Karen Zawitkowski, says "Eileen is a great referral source. She sends such great kids to our programs and makes sure that year after year they are returning. She is a very helpful and amazing person."
Eileen's approach to her work is based upon her belief that her interactions with students can make a difference for them even if she does not get to observe the rewards. Abby Brown (School Based Counselor with Lycoming County) works closely with Eileen and has said:
| | "Eileen is very professional, thus her approach with the children, their parents and the staff is very well structured. She never loses her focus." According to Eileen, that focus is "just being able to witness the students growing over the years...being able to offer students a safe place to be themselves...knowing that each day is a different experience and getting to know students in a way that they may not have the opportunity to explore during their routine school day." |
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Eileen's experience with The Second Mile has been very positive. She notes:
| | "The Second Mile is a most incredible resource. Additional resources are limited in our rural community. We are so fortunate to have TSM open the programs to our students. It is wonderful to be able to refer students to the Challenge Program and the Friend Program, knowing it will be of great benefit to them. I hear the students speak of their positive experiences and see their motivation to continue participation in these programs. We can identify students who need access to such a resource but do not need to have a certain "label" to be accepted to the program. I really love the follow-up and continued contact the students have with the program throughout the school year. The Children's Fund has been so responsive to many different needs of individual students and families. In general, the responsiveness of TSM to so many families has really highlighted the mission of the program to strengthen families." |
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The Second Mile is fortunate to have such a helpful Professional Partner at work in the field. The professional and personal approach Eileen takes to her work, her students and her life in general makes the mission of the Second Mile in the Jersey Shore area a reality. Mr. Mellinger has thanked us, "...so much for recognizing a truly deserving individual and professional Counselor and Educator." We thank Eileen Dunn for all she does every day to help children and youth go The Second Mile!
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