Four questions with Ashley Hilger, Safety Administrator for Jefferson County Public Schools. Hilger worked in the Community Education Before and After School program in college. From Shelbyville, KY, Hilger has her BA in History and her MS in Justice Studies and is earning her EdD in Educational Leadership.
What are you proudest of accomplishing while at Community Education? “Building strong relationships with my after-school kids and their families at Lost River.”
What challenges did you face? “Working with children for the first time and learning to communicate with them in a way they understand.”
What did you do after you left Community Education? “I worked at Maryhurst, a psychiatric residential facility for teen girls, for four years. I was able to move up in that time and eventually ran my own program for about two years.
Anything else you would like to share? “Working at community education camps and Lost River Elementary was the best experience I could’ve asked for. I am thankful to my supervisors for suggesting I apply to be a site supervisor after my first summer. It prepared me for the rest of my career path. It taught me patience with adults and children. It also taught me my favorite thing I tell people new to working with children: Children have all the same big emotions we have in way smaller bodies and with way less life experience. Have mercy and grace for them.”