Northbrook Park District Supervisor Recognized as Afterschool Leader
Northbrook Park District Recreation Supervisor Taylor Witter has been named among the 2021 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders by the National AfterSchool Association (NAA).
Witter was honored for her work overseeing the Park District's Adventure Campus program which provides before and after school care to about 500 students in grades K-5 per week. Since taking over Adventure Campus in November 2016, Witter has contributed significantly to the program's growth and level of services provided to families. In 2019 she implemented an enrichment program, allowing students to take yoga and art classes, learn Spanish, watch live entertainers and participate in a variety of other engaging activities as part of their Adventure Campus experience.
"Taylor puts a personal touch on everything she does," said Katie Kotloski, Recreation Division Manager. "Recently when Northbrook schools went on an adaptive pause from in-person learning, Taylor emailed her before and after school families with hundreds of activities they could do at home to keep their children engaged. Taylor truly cares about families and it really shows. This award exemplifies how dedicated the Northbrook Park District is to the quality of before and after school care for the children of Northbrook."
In addition to her work with Adventure Campus, Witter has helped provide unique recreation opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Park District's popular in-person and virtual Step-by-Step Painting events.
Taylor's initiative and skills led to her recent transition to Recreation Supervisor for the aquatics and ice departments," said Eileen Loftus, Director of Recreation. "Her accomplishments for Adventure Campus will have a long-lasting impact and we are excited to see what she can bring to her new areas of supervision."
Witter will be profiled in the Spring 2021 issue of NAA's AfterSchool Today magazine. Based in Washington, D.C., NAA is a professional membership association that fosters positive youth outcomes by supporting, developing and advocating for afterschool professionals and leaders.
"These emerging leaders will help shape the next generation of the afterschool field," said Gina Warner, President and CEO of NAA.