Letter to the GNA community

Letter+to+the+GNA+community

 

Dear GNA family,

As many of you know, I came to GNA in the winter of 2016 through the Pennsylvania College Advising Corps—a program that places recent college graduates in school districts like Nanticoke to help students develop personalized plans for their futures. Each adviser serves at their assigned school for two years before moving on and being replaced by a new adviser from the same program. The time has come for me to pass the baton to GNA’s next adviser. My colleague, Mr. Joe Yamulla, will be joining GNA in the fall as the new college and career adviser. Mr. Yamulla is a Hazleton native and a recent graduate of Franklin & Marshall College. He will spend this summer doing intensive training to prepare for his new role. I have no doubt he will be a tremendous asset to the GNA community. I know he is excited to begin his work and eager to get to know you all.

Of course, this change is bittersweet as it means I must say goodbye to GNA. I was an English major in college and am therefore a big fan of words. However, as I sit here trying to put into words just how much GNA means to me, I can’t seem to find words that do my feelings any justice. I hope you’ll bear with me as I try (and forgive me in advance for the sentimentality).

I arrived in Nanticoke in February 2016, freshly graduated from Dickinson College, eager to begin my first “real” job, scared that my new students and colleagues would see my greenness, and over 100 miles from the closest friend or family member. Putting it bluntly: I was terrified. Now, looking back, I realize I had no reason to be so nervous. From the first moment I arrived on campus, I felt the tremendous sense of community that radiates throughout the halls of GNA. That sense of community was evident in the way Mr. Hischak took me under his wing and answered every single one of my endless questions with patience and a comforting smile. It was evident in the way that students like Kris Seiwell just showed up at my office door, eager with college questions (you’ll always be “Kristoferm” to me, Kris). And it was evident in the way that teachers would pop in to introduce themselves, see how I was getting settled, and offered friendly advice. Settling into this job wasn’t easy, but falling in love with GNA was.

Over the past two and a half years, I’ve had well over 1,500 one-on-one student meetings. During those meetings, we’ve discussed everything from SATs to college applications, from ASVABs to resumes, from basketball games to best NEPA hiking spots, from favorite TV shows to prom dresses, from personal triumphs to personal tragedies. I have cherished each and every one of these conversations. Getting to know the classes of 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 in this intimate way, assisting them through the exciting, scary, stressful, happy, thrilling process of planning for their lives after GNA has been the greatest privilege of my life. I am so incredibly grateful to every student who let me be a part of this special phase of life.

Now, the English major in me could truly go on and on about my time here, but I’ll spare you all. Let me just say a few final words to three special groups.

To Dr. Grevera, Ms. Scibek, Mr. Speece, Mr. Hischak, Ms. Iacovazzi, and the entire GNA faculty: Thank you. Thank you for being such passionate, empathetic, caring, and inspiring educators. Thank you for all you do for our students each and every day. I am so grateful for your partnership these past few years.

To the Class of 2019: Saying goodbye to you may be the hardest part for me. I have had the privilege of getting to know many of you and helping you start your future planning process. It’s going to be hard to leave knowing how many exciting things are coming your way next year and not being able to see you through your senior year. You are an incredibly passionate, funny, kind, and bright group. Each one of you is off to great things. Please stay in touch and keep me posted on your next steps. Know that Mr. Yamulla is so excited to work with you and will be full of super helpful information for you next year. Take advantage of his help and show him the same GNA hospitality you showed me.

And, finally, to the Class of 2018: We’ve been through so much together. In many ways, I feel like I’ve grown up and graduated right alongside you. I know I won’t ever be able to fully communicate just how much you all mean to me, but for now let me just say—thank you. Thank you for listening to me nag you about SATs, college apps, resumes, and the FAFSA. Thank you for every meeting, even the ones that were stressful or hard. Thank you for every field trip, every lunch period chat, every event. Thank you for largely containing your groans and eyerolls at my many lame college puns. Thank you for tolerating Ms. I and me awkwardly (but enthusiastically!) dancing at prom. Thank you for trusting me with your ups as well as your downs. Thank you for every laugh, tear, and everything in between. You are all off to amazing futures. I’m so proud of every one of you. Next year will be a time of transition for both of us. Transitions are always hard. But remember that you are strong, you are worthy of whatever new opportunity is headed your way, and—most importantly—remember that you are not alone. Please stay in touch and never hesitate to reach out to me or any other member of your GNA family if you need help along the way. You are so loved.

Thank you, GNA, for becoming my home. I will carry you all in my heart, always. After all, Trojan pride never dies.

 

All my love,

Ms. Jarman