Thursday, September 19, 2024

Nicole Brzyski - January, 2011

Nicole Brzyski

Jan 1, 2011

Dear Nicole,

Jenn Fenton and Carla Higgins nominated you for the Employee of the Month award and used such a perfect analogy that I have to quote it here:

"Elton John wrote "Cast your pebble upon the water. Watch the ripples gently spreading." We all cast pebbles on the waters of change every day and don't always see how far reaching the impact of positive action is on others.

So let's reflect upon the pebbles cast by Nicole Brzyski, an Early Intervention Teacher in Children's Services. For her Master's project, Nicole created an exercise program incorporating yoga. This was successful in her classroom, so she taught all the Children Services staff at the annual training retreat. In the movement room, yoga is now incorporated as part of the daily schedule for several classrooms. She presented her project to the agency, and a selection of these poses was incorporated into a Healthy Aging point of service training for the adults we support as well. Exercise and socialization are important aspects of aging in a healthy way and Nicole's research was a vehicle for easily empowering adults to learn new exercise skills in a safe, self-determined way. Countless adults participated successfully just by providing motivation, modeling, and a tiny bit of teaching. It was amazing to see how excited and surprised the individuals and staff alike were when they were successful doing something they never imagined. Very large ripples of positive change were created with the casting of one pebble."

In addition, Nicole is always welcoming of college students in her classroom - teaching and mentoring - always in an affirmative way with big smiles and high expectations. More pebbles; more ripples; more positive change. 

So it is my pleasure to honor you as the Employee of the Month and thank you on behalf of the SPIN Board of Directors, your fellow employees, and all of those pebbles you have been tossing, and all of those who have been caught in the resulting ripples. Your enthusiasm and eagerness to share your best possible brings untold benefits to us all. 

Sincerely,

Trina Losinno
Executive Director