Mrs. De Lapp has always been the most real person in my life, especially in high school, surrounded by manufacturers of stress and fake personalities; she became the first safe place I could come back to. I went from hating going to school every day, to looking forward to my chance to sit beside her desk, listening to Metallica and the Eagles from her computer.

Mrs. De Lapp was this genuine presence of understanding, patience, and witty sarcasm that cut through all the bullshit around us, and I know for a fact she was the reason why I did not give up on my life in high school. Mrs. De Lapp encouraged me to get into art and writing and helped me realize going to college was not only possible, but might be a great experience, and she was right.

 

More than anyone else in my life, I know Mrs. De Lapp helped me survive and become who I am today. I can’t say it big enough. I am thankful for all she is. I’m so grateful to have Mrs. De Lapp in my life. 
 

Jace J.

Former Student

It’s rare to find professionals with similar levels of education, experience, sense of purpose, and long-term dedication to a single meaningful pursuit. It’s even harder to find individuals who are also genuinely personally invested in the benefit of their work for others rather than focused on a quest for professional recognition and accolades. Jennifer De Lapp has unwaveringly demonstrated these qualities for as long as I can remember, and the passion she shows for the pursuit seems only to grow with time.

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Greg Everett
Author, Coach, & Seminar Instructor

When I entered high school I was an extremely depressed and neglected child. I had no guardian figure watching over me until I met Mrs. De Lapp. Not only did she believe in me, but she also made me believe in myself, and helped me turn my life around from using drugs and self-harm to cope with life.

I learned how to be a compassionate person, and teacher by watching the way Mrs. De Lapp treated others. With her wisdom and amazing heart, Mrs. De Lapp has what it takes to bring out the compassionate side of all teachers. She demonstrated patience, understanding, and accountability which are key components for a teacher to have. I am so thankful to have been enrolled in Mrs. De Lapp’s class in my freshman year.

 

Kara N.

Former Student

Our education system is at its best when the focus is on doing what is best for each student. I know focusing on the student was how Jennifer De Lapp made a difference in the lives of her individual students. I admire the ambition of Jennifer's current pursuit because she will make a difference in more students’ lives than she ever could have by limiting her passion to her classroom. 

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Michael O’Brien 
Father of Five and Longtime Friend

I believe that Jennifer De Lapp has a non-biased, gentle nature which lends a caring and compassionate approach to whatever she puts her energy into, as well as insight into trauma-based experiences. May this upcoming endeavor serve all those involved in many positive aspects.

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Brittany Bucholzer
Mother of Two, Radiologic Technologist & Thriving Survivor of Intergenerational Trauma

I believe that this program is so needed and Jennifer De Lapp is the ideal person to make it happen. Jennifer has experienced the problems with the system from all sides as a student, supportive tutor, friend, and educator. Somehow she has survived the failures of the current system, thanks to a combination of her exceptional intellect, her ability to empathize with others, her survival instinct, and a large dose of grit! Jennifer is not pursuing this path for kudos or professional recognition. Jennifer sees a path to make life more than something to be endured. I’m hoping the “experts” in the field recognize the amazing resource they have in her!

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Ginger R.-A.
Mother of Child with Special Needs & Music Teacher

Jennifer is very bright and her passion for her work outshines anyone’s I’ve ever seen. As a scholarly editor for more than thirty years, I’ve seen a lot. She is not only bright, highly capable, and passionate about what is no less than her calling for her work, but perhaps more importantly, she is compassionate and longs to share what she has learned both personally and professionally where it can make the most difference. 

 

Joycelyn T.

Mother of a Child with Mental Health Challenges, Retired High School Teacher, College Lecturer, and Scholarly Editor

Jennifer’s compassion and intelligence, passion for learning, and grounded experience in the educational field ensure that her workshops can be trusted to be of the highest quality. Her expertise in trauma-sensitive teaching and educational equity is apparent not only in her presentations, but in the extensive resources made available for participants’ continuing use.

Jennifer’s ongoing speeches and seminars are clearly-organized and well-communicated, reflecting both heart and mind in action. Her deep commitment is to help others acquire vital new skills for reaching those students who have long been shortchanged, knowing such skills will help them to never give up on those

students - or on themselves.

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 Dr. Wendy Martyna - Stanford University: Ph.D. in Psychology; University of California, Santa Cruz: Retired Professor, Lecturer in Sociology (1978-2018)

For a number of years after she was my undergraduate student, Jennifer De Lapp was a guest speaker in two of my social psychology classes which dealt most directly with these themes. My students were impressed by her articulate and heartfelt presentations. They were also moved by the stories of her own challenging youth, as well as the ways she approached her students’ challenges.

I remember the silence in the room as Jennifer spoke of seeing a young man crouched in the corner while everyone else was happily participating in some classroom activity. She quietly went over and crouched by his side. She didn’t say a word, just let him know he wasn’t alone. That mattered.

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Dr. Wendy Martyna

Stanford University - Ph.D. in Psychology

University of California, Santa Cruz - Retired Professor of Psychology, Lecturer in Sociology (1978-2018)

I believe that Jennifer De Lapp is the perfect person for this job because she has the education to back her up but more importantly, she has the personal experiences that give her a distinct advantage. Jennifer is practical yet empathetic because she has been there as both a teacher and a survivor. 

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Dawn Mooney
M.A. Education & Counseling

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