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Meet Team ELA
BECCA ZAJLER
Recreation Manager for ELA Seven years with NSSRA , four years with ELA .
What is your favorite ELA event ? My favorite program at ELA is gardening . I don ’ t have the greenest thumb and I admire the hard work the ELA participants put into their garden plot each year . They pick out the plants , take care of them weekly and make healthy snacks with what they grow in the garden !
What experience have you learned the most from , and what did you learn ? I have learned the most from watching the participants use each other ’ s strengths . If we play off of each other ’ s strengths , it gives us fulfillment and helps us all to work better together .
Coffee order ? Soy latte . Favorite holiday ? Thanksgiving . There ’ s nothing better than being around family and having a buffet of food and desserts ! Strangest thing you ' ve ever eaten ? I once ate a cricket as a part of the City Chase ( a scavenger huntlike race in Chicago ).
NIKI CUTTELL
Recreation Specialist for Adult Day Programs With ELA since March 2017 . Learn more about Niki on page 14 .
Coffee order ? Not a coffee drinker . Favorite movie ? Moulin Rouge . I know all the lines and I cry every time .
To learn more about ELA , flip back to page 10 . In short , ELA is a year-round adult day program , Monday - Friday , for adults ages 22 and older with developmental disabilities . The staff at ELA are an incredible team , keeping everything running smoothly and successfully for the nearly twenty participants each day .
Between daily lesson plans , outings , social and fitness schedules and a slew of special events , ELA staff are constantly busy , constantly playing , constantly problem-solving and always putting participants , both their well-being and success , first . With a team of ten staff and two dedicated volunteers , some brand new and some with the program for years , they have truly become an exceptional part of # teamnssra .
Without further ado ...
Meet Team ELA
Favorite holiday ? Thanksgiving , because there is no pressure of gifts . Everyone just enjoys the company and stuffs their faces . Strangest thing you ' ve ever eaten ? Chocolatecovered crickets .
CRISTINA HUGHES
Site Coordinator Five years with ELA .
What is your favorite ELA event ? The ELA Family BBQ .
What is your favorite memory at ELA ? We went indoor rock climbing for guys afternoon out . For most of the participants it was their first time rock climbing so it was cool to be a part of something they ' ve never done before . Also , I got Jamie to put on ice skates and roller skates and try skating !
What experience have you learned the most from , and what did you learn ? I can ' t think of just one experience but I ' ve learned on multiple occasions that even when the activity / outing may be stressful or hard on me or the other staff , it ' s definitely worth it when the participants have fun or get to experience something for the first time .
Coffee order ? I don ' t drink coffee . Favorite movie ? Juno . Favorite holiday ? Fourth of July .
ROBIN GADIENT
Program Instructor Three years with ELA .
What is your favorite ELA event ? Any dance . The Valentine ’ s dance this year was really fun ! I really enjoyed setting up the photo booth area with Joey and dancing with Chris .
What is your favorite memory at ELA ? From this year , probably the outing to the fire station . Everyone really enjoyed it , and it was awesome to see them all clean the fire engine and interact with the firemen .
Coffee order ? Hot and black . Favorite movie ? Elf . Favorite holiday ? Thanksgiving .
AMBER PIERCE
Program Instructor Two years with ELA .
What is your favorite ELA event ? I love the dances ! It ' s so much fun to see all the participants get together with friends . The looks on their faces are always priceless . You can tell they ' re really having fun and it makes the job so worthwhile .
What is your favorite memory at ELA ? One of my favorite memories was the first time Jamie hugged me . It took us a long time and a lot of patience to reach that point . It stands out as one of the best memories because it felt like such an accomplishment !
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Register online at register . nssra . org .