Ms. Jillian Hogan 2011
Jillian is an alumna of St. John the Evangelist School and Holy Cross High School. Her unwavering love of Christ has only been enhanced by her educational surroundings. Jillian felt very strongly about continuing her Catholic education after elementary school because of her passionate, faith-based educational upbringing. She truly believes in and lives her everyday life by the deep Catholic roots that are part of her inward beauty.
Jillian comes well prepared when volunteering her time at St. John the Evangelist School. She is consistent, compassionate, reliable and enthusiastic about her time with the students. Her dedication to her upcoming career is evident in her passion for children and all the wonder that lies within their hearts. Jillian decided in the sixth grade that she wanted to become a teacher. During a class project talking about the children’s future careers, Jillian without hesitation, stood tall and spoke clearly about becoming a teacher because, “she loved little children and loved the fact that she could make a difference in their lives”. With her firm Catholic education very early on her young life, Jillian understood the importance of growing in God’s love and mirroring his actions in our relationships with one another, especially in the wonderment of childhood learning.
When Jillian began volunteering her time at St. John the Evangelist School, it was immediately evident that she had a love for the profession and a sincere interest and concern for the students. She helped facilitate the lesson plans, gave her creative input on the daily activities, spent many hours beyond her required time to individually deal with each student’s learning abilities and proved her eagerness toward the teaching profession.
Not only has Jillian given of her time toward the elementary school she attended, she also continued to give back to the church she attended. St. John the Evangelist Church organized a Mom and Tots group that Jillian was involved in during her high school years. Mothers attend with their children, under the age of four, to interact with each other and show their children how to share and become comfortable with other children before attending school. During her time with this particular group, Jillian realized her sincere interest in God’s little miracles of life. Jillian stated, “I love the way children see the world. They see the world as being this magical place and full of imagination. I hope to help them keep that imagination for a long time”. Jillian’s gift of Christ’s grace, along with her faith and love, will transform many young lives for the best and surely will bestow upon her students a passion for education.
When I asked Jillian about what role her family and faith has played in her future ambition to become a teacher she stated, “God has always been a big part of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s the reason why my parents put me in St. John the Evangelist School from the beginning and it’s why I choose Holy Cross High School and Sacred Heart University. My family is also very supportive in every decision I make. My mom is my best friend and has always been the one to tell me that all I have to do is pray to God if I ever have trouble making a decision and to always look in my heart for the right answer.”
Jillian has approached any and all aspects of working with children with eager anticipation, professionalism and great responsibility. I believe Jillian already knows the answers in her heart to live life securely through Christ and become a wonderful teacher who will alter young lives for the better through her entrusted teachings.