North Central ESD honors Eldene Wall for her contributions
We all owe a debt of gratitude to the unsung heroes who without fanfare do the less glamorous work that makes organizations effective and build community.
Last week, the North Central Educational Service District celebrated the retirement of Eldene Wall, the executive assistant who for 29 years has been the calm at the eye of the storm for that organization, which supports teachers, students and school districts in North Central Washington.
It tells you something when all three ESD superintendents she worked with — Gene Sharratt, Rich McBride and Michelle Price — were on hand to share their thoughts about Eldene’s work.
Eldene is one of the most humble and devoted individuals you will ever meet. She was instrumental in organizing so many ESD efforts, such as the school supply giveaway for low-income students which grew from serving dozens of students to more than a thousand. She was a key part of the Kids First project that brought together people from throughout the valley to support youngsters in collaborative ways.
She has been the driving force behind the North Central Education Foundation, which is a nonprofit that raises funds and supports teachers in the region with $300 education grants for hands-on learning projects.
She also collected stories from individuals in the region about teachers who made a difference in their lives. Those stories are published in a book every year and it provides some of the most inspirational testimonials about the value of the personal connection between teachers and students.
Eldene gets things done and she does it quietly, with great passion, energy and a commitment to supporting student learning. But she’s not completely done with the ESD. She’ll continue her work as a volunteer coordinator for the education foundation.
Her support, as attested to by Sharratt, McBride and Price, made everyone else’s job that much easier and rewarding.
Eldene, thanks for all you have done and continue to do to support the ESD and education in our region. You are a gift to this valley and North Central Washington.
