This month we are featuring interview questions from Jen Hagstrom, GEAR UP Specialist at Pahrump Valley High School.
What is your favorite GEAR UP service to plan and implement?
ACT Bootcamp is very near and dear to my heart, and I love planning those Saturday services with students. From the early morning drop offs, to lunch in the courtyard and helping demystify the ACT process for first time test takers I enjoy spending that time with the students and helping to ease anxiety about test performance.
What three words do you think most of your colleagues would use to describe you? Why did you pick those three words?
Coach, Caring and Empathetic
Coach is a natural connection to my roles within Athletics at PVHS, but I do feel that I give good feedback, and try to support my students with positive affirmations and programming to help them reach their goals. Just like in sports, you start somewhere
As a Counselor first, I feel that caring and empathy are essential to work with students. Fostering connections and being open to learning and new experiences while reflecting back student concerns, emotions and experience are essential to foster a positive environment for all students to learn and be heard.
What is a professional accomplishment you are most proud of?
I am very proud of being selected as the commencement speaker for the Class of 2023 at Pahrump Valley High School. Those students were so participatory in GEAR UP, and excited about moving their lives forward with our programming that when they requested I address their class I knew that the work I was doing with students was making an impact. It was humbling and amazing, and I am beyond grateful that I was given the opportunity to send their class off into the world with some words of wisdom.
If you were going to pick a new name for yourself, what would it be? Why this name?
Claudia, I would choose this name because it’s more unique than Jennifer, and it was the name of my favorite character in the “The Babysitter’s Club,” book series that I read as a kid.
If budget, time, and staffing were no object, what service would you like to offer your students?
Getting our students to STEAM camps throughout the country to open up their minds about the opportunities they might not even be able to fathom without exposure. I would love to be able to get students aligned with more trade specific experiences without having transportation or logistics get in the way.
Give us a fun fact about Jen!
The Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur, and I used to be friendly in college. He dated one of my friends at Saginaw Valley, and we used to chat quite a bit about sports and life. It’s crazy to turn on an NFL game and see someone that I used to consider a friend. It’s a small world so be kind to one another because you never know who/where/what you will encounter.
