By Shana McLean Moore, Almaden Times staff writer
You never really know the ripple of influence your actions have on the world around you until a group of your biggest fans is asked to tell a story that sums up the kind of person you are. It is then that you see the wave you created crash to the shore, to the delight of those close enough to see its surge and hear its roar.
While most of us create a ripple tame enough for young children to frolic in, Almaden’s Kelly Noftz creates the kind of wave that beckons Maverick surfers worldwide and leaves homeowners scurrying for sandbags.
Kelly, together with her husband John and children Emma and Austin, moved to Almaden after purchasing a home that had been previously ravaged by tragedy. It’s safe to say that most people would not buy a house that had sat empty for several years after a murder-suicide took place there, but most people aren’t like Kelly Noftz. What the Noftz family did for that house and neighborhood speaks volumes about Kelly’s outlook on life and the can-do attitude she applies to all that needs fixing around her.
“Once they were settled, Kelly held a big open-house and invited the neighbors over to see that their family had changed the energy of that home. She even started a community garden on the side of her house and invited the neighborhood kids to help her plant and water it,” says her friend Mollie Tobias This was Noftz’s first of many community-building events in Almaden.
One such program Noftz organized is called PESTS, Parents Encouraging Supportive Teachers and Staff. Parents basically adopt teachers and give them small gifts and notes to show them that their work is appreciated. “Like anyone, the teachers feel happy and treasured when sometime takes the time to do something nice for them,” said Tobias.
Another program Kelly started at Bret Harte is the “Everyday Hero” award, which has since been adopted by the Project Cornerstone organization. Students nominate their peers for displaying model behavior. Then, once a month, pictures are taken of the two students together and posted with the nominating letter.
“It is very encouraging for students to see responsibility, caring, friendship and honesty commended,” said Tobias. “Kelly helped to establish this program so that Bret Harte students would value their friendships and peer relationships, thereby creating a caring school climate,” she added. “Everything Kelly does is done at 120 percent. When she says she will do something, it is done in a timely manner, perfectly, and with that added touch of caring, warmth and creativity.”
Noftz eventually took a paying job with Project Cornerstone and, by all accounts, it is a natural fit. “Whether Kelly is volunteering at the school sites (as president of the Parent Club, chair of the eighth grade Promotion Committee, or chair of the Cultural Fair Food Committee) or working for Project Cornerstone in her current job championing and offering support for students who have been bullied, Kelly’s focus has always been concern for our students,” added Gill.
Lori Maitski, project coordinator of Project Cornerstone, also remembers her early interactions with Kelly at Bret Harte. “During our training, we talked about the power of building relationships with young adults and how a simple smile or “hi” could work wonders,” said Maitski. “Kelly decided to give this a go when working in the snack shack and started saying ‘hi’ and smiling at the students. At first, she reported that the kids did not know how to respond to her and often didn’t. She kept on and started asking questions about their day. There was one student who had some piercings, a Mohawk and just generally looked tough. The other volunteers served him as fast as possible. Not Kelly—she made it her mission to strike up a conversation with him. She succeeded… and always had a long line of kids waiting patiently for her to talk to and just get her warm friendly smile.”
Anne Ehresman, the new executive director of Project Cornerstone, didn’t take long to discover the wonders of Kelly Noftz. “She’s able to go into a cafeteria of students – elementary, middle or high school – and truly connect with them. They trust her and become willing to open up about their experiences,” said Ehresman. “She shared with me recently that after every workshop she has to schedule an hour for herself to decompress. The feelings, emotions, and dreams of these students affect her deeply,” Ehresman added. “Kelly is transforming our community, one life at a time.”
Read the full text of this article here.
Article reproduced with the permission of the Almaden Times
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