Jacky Welage is a second year Master’s student in the field Applied Developmental Psychology with a concentration in Child Life at the University of Pittsburgh. In the winter of 2014, she graduated from Edinboro University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences and a minor in Special Education. While attending Edinboro, she was a prominent member of the Edinboro Universality Council for Exceptional Children, the American Sign Language Club, and Speech and Hearing Club. Jacky helped organize operation smile fundraisers, community dances for young teens and adults with disabilities, as well as raise community awareness about young people with exceptional needs. While completing her undergraduate degree, Jacky worked in the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) at Edinboro University. She worked as an Academic Aide, completing filing of student documents and exams, scheduling student exams and assisting them to complete exams based on the accommodations granted through a 504 plan. In addition, Jacky worked as a peer advisor through the OSD office. As a peer advisor, she aided the students she was assigned with homework, scheduling, various other academic tasks, and building positive peer relationships.

After graduation, Jacky worked as an assistant teacher in a pre-kindergarten classroom. In the summer of 2014 Jacky was offered a job as Lead Junior Kindergarten teacher at her place of work. She planned curriculum based on the Grow Smart philosophy; she built in “Literacy by Design”, “Handwriting Without Tears”, and “Everyday Math” into her classroom plan. She assessed the children’s skills getting them prepared for the “Kindergarten Readiness Exam” in the spring. Jacky worked closely and diligently with families in her room to address and support positive behavior management, sensory processing disorder, and autism. Jacky worked thoughtfully to make her classroom one of inclusion and compassion. It was very rewarding.  

Now, while in graduate school, at the University of Pittsburgh, Jacky works as an assistant teacher at the Carriage House Learning Center in Squirrel Hill in the Older Infant Classroom. Within the last year, Jacky volunteered in Austin’s Playroom at the Children’s Institute. There she, supported and engaged in play with children with special healthcare needs. This year, Jacky is working at the Office of Child Development, inputting data to launch and support new projects at the PACE Private School and Propel. In addition, she volunteers at the Children’s Home, a non-profit licensed organization that supports infants, children, and families with health and strong positive relationships. 

Jacky is excited to be a 2017-2018 LEND trainee. She has high hopes to gain more leadership skills that will help her better serve individuals with disabilities and their families while raising community awareness about the needs of individuals with disabilities and those who care for them.