EDMONDS, NOV. 4: Regina Jeffers is a mother of three, a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) fundraiser for Beverly Elementary School and a paraeducator.
“Regina is a positive force and impacts all who work with her. I believe that she deserves this recognition for her tireless work to make Beverly Elementary School a better place for all students and families,” coworker Emily Czerwonka said.
Jeffers said she “feels a responsibility to represent the minority community,” since she comes from an immigrant family herself. As a child she wasn’t as involved in school, so she wanted to show students and parents the importance of being involved.
Beverly Elementary is a Title 1 school, which is a public school that receives federal funding to help students from low-income families meet academic standards. For most students at Beverly, English is a second language, Jeffers said. They have students who speak Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian and more.
“In order to feel welcomed you need to be welcomed,” Jeffers said, “You have to create a community in order for people to feel a part of it.”
Jeffers has been with the Edmonds School District for more than six years. Last year she helped fundraise $27,000 through the PTA. This year she helped raise $24,000.
“We are a Title 1 school, and this extra funding is huge for us,” Czerwonka said.
This year Jeffers began a role as a paraeducator. A paraeducator is a person who assists teachers in helping students learn and succeed.
“She does so much that goes unseen and she is very motivated. As a person of color, she also brings a different perspective which is a great thing,” Regina’s husband, Aaron Jeffers said.
Jeffers said that her main goal is to “empower people to know that they have a place in the community.”
Hometown Hero is a promotion from radio stations Everett’s Greatest Hits KRKO and Classic Country KXA. Each month the stations celebrates an individual making a difference in the community and gives them a $100 Visa gift as a small token of appreciation. Presented by Eden Health. If you would like to nominate a Hometown Hero, see here.
