A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Jennifer Wright

A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Jennifer Wright

When Jennifer Wright agreed to an interview, the first question she had was whether the interview could instead be solely about Hilltop Neighborhood House. As the CEO of Hilltop and this week’s Life in the Spotlight, Jennifer is fiercely dedicated to her job and all of the people she works alongside. She selflessly commits to her work with an avid devotion and for this it is no wonder Hilltop exists as the wonderful establishment that it is.

Jennifer’s main focus as the CEO is to ensure that the program has the resources to grow and serve all of the families that Hilltop aids. A day as CEO could have her doing anything and everything from fixing pipes to answering the phone for grants. It’s a job that keeps you on your toes, but Jennifer loves it and says she’s “only able to get it all done because of the staff. They give it their all every day.”

As a Valparaiso native with a deep love for the city, Jennifer’s motivation comes from a passion for her hometown and the people within it.

“If you believe in what you do it's a wonderful life,” she said. And it’s clear to see that Jennifer truly believes in what she does.

When I met her she was thrilled to conduct the interview on the property of Hilltop Neighborhood House. She took me on a tour of the grounds and it was truly amazing to see all of the hard work the people of Hilltop do on a daily basis.

Jennifer knows Hilltop like the back of her hand. In every classroom, she knew the volunteers and children by name. That’s a huge deal considering Hilltop has over two hundred volunteers and six classrooms, some of them with up to fourteen kids at one time. Jennifer is evidence of the incredible care and passion that Hilltop offers to each and every individual that steps through their doors.

As Hilltop is a low-income childcare center, much of what they do is funded through grants and scholarships and they depend on volunteers for help in so much of what goes on there. Up to fifty percent of daycare expenses are covered through scholarships awarded to Hilltop families and they even accept a pay what you can payment plan for families, in particular, need.

“It’s about good education and financial stability,” Jennifer said, “Seeing a family able to stand on their own two feet makes it all worth it. It’s so rewarding to have the chance to be able to provide families with just enough to keep them going. Seeing their success stories when they move on to the next stage of their lives is incredible.”

Hilltop isn’t just a daycare center, either. It is an official preschool site with licensed teachers that follow lesson plans based on kindergarten entry-level standards. Toddlers are taught potty training, social skills, how to walk and speak, how to play, how to use tools such as cups and silverware, and are even tested to prepare for ISTEP.

“Kids take their first step here,” Jennifer told me, smiling. “We get to be a part of some wonderful moments.” Hilltop even offers an infant room and is often able to provide one-on-one care for newborns, rare to see in any daycare site, let alone one that is affordable. It’s no wonder why they have a seventeen-month waiting list for infant care.

So much of this is made possible by the many supporters Hilltop has within the community, a fact Jennifer made sure to stress.

“Valparaiso University does so much for us,” she mentioned.

Students there participate in work-study programs with Hilltop and many volunteer their free time to helping out. The Valparaiso Kiwanis club also lends a number of volunteers. Emanuel Lutheran Church is the officiating site for Hilltop’s ministry license and they have the support of thirty-nine other churches. Hilltop is truly a community effort, a fact that Jennifer deeply appreciates.

“Valparaiso is amazing,” she said with admiration.

Jennifer hopes that in the future Hilltop will be able to have a larger facility to accommodate their growing needs. She is confident that future will soon be a reality.

“We’re blessed,” she said, “we’ll get there.”