Anne Jaroszewicz finds 'specialness' in each and every child | Women of the Year
In a new city far from family, Anne Jaroszewicz and her family found community at Christ Church Cathedral.
Jaroszewicz got involved right away after their move from New York by helping out with mission trips, Sunday school and any programs that involved helping kids.
About 31 years later, Jaroszewicz is senior warden at Christ Church Cathedral, a lay position that entails ensuring the ministry of the church is running smoothly. She also directs the annual Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival, which was one of the first events that made Cincinnati feel like home for her family.
The festival serves as a "gift to Cincinnati" in the form of a production depicting the nativity and the English legend of the Boar's head. When COVID hit, Jaroszewicz was instrumental in ensuring the show would go on.
Between paring the show to essentials and having participants bring their own food and water, Jaroszewicz was able to make the 2021 festival go off without a hitch. "The fun of it is the problem-solving and the pivoting," she said. "And everybody kind of rolling up their sleeves together and kind of figuring out how to take it forward."
Passion for children is a common thread
Jaroszewicz's passion for working with children has served as a common thread in her involvement at not only Christ Church Cathedral but various other Greater Cincinnati organizations like Saturday Hoops.
When Jaroszewicz considered the fact that Saturday Hoops didn't have a summer program, she remembered that Christ Church Cathedral had a summer camp fund for kids. So she applied for the grant to go towards kids involved in Saturday Hoops, and for the last five years, 15 to 20 kids from the program have attended Camp Joy.
"It's just an incredible opportunity for them to get out into nature, to turn off their cell phones," she said. "Meet new people ... learn a lot about themselves to, you know, grow up a little, be independent."
At Saturday Hoops, Jaroszewicz worked with fellow Woman of the Year 2023 Nancy Costello to create reading rooms for kids to develop reading skills and explore the world of books.
"It's just so thrilling to sit there and be one-on-one with a child and to help them read and to have them read out loud to you," she said. "And to see them gaining confidence week in and week out is just incredible."
Saturday Hoops is a program designed to develop self-esteem and confidence in kids through basketball and other activities like art, yoga and the chance to talk about their lives.
Jaroszewicz was ecstatic when she learned her fellow Saturday Hoops volunteer Nancy Costello had been chosen as a 2023 Enquirer Woman of the Year. What she didn't expect was that the call was to inform her she'd also won the award. Unbeknownst to Jaroszewicz, she and Costello had nominated each other.
"Many struggling youths in our community have found a safe place, an encouraging atmosphere, and opportunity to thrive in their interactions with Anne," Costello wrote in her nomination of Jaroszewicz.
Jaroszewicz has always had an interest in child development and a passion for helping kids, which has manifested in the ability to nurture the unique abilities of each child. "Every child is truly a gift. And every child has a gift," she said. "And it is really incumbent on the adults in our kids lives' and who touch the lives of kids in the community to help kids feel their specialness."
At Oyler School, Jaroszewicz mentored a student throughout the college application process during COVID, when an already difficult process was made harder with classes being online. Jaroszewicz worked with her mentee on application essays by developing the student's distinct writing voice and determining what made her stand out.
Her mentee was admitted to every school she applied to, and Jaroszewicz still keeps in contact with her.
In Jaroszewicz's own life, getting involved means helping kids. "I really do think that our children are our future," she said. " So the healthier they are mentally, physically, spiritually, the healthier our society is going to be going forward.
About Anne Jaroszewicz
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Current residence: Indian Hill.
Family: Husband, Ted Jaroszewicz; sons, Matthew, Nicholas and Will.
Education: Bachelor's degrees in English and economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Occupation: Parent coach at Child in Bloom.
Q&A with Anne Jaroszewicz
What inspires you to give back?
"My family, especially my three sons. I want them to appreciate life and know that it requires something of them. And so I want to be an example for them of how to give back."
What need in the community would you like to see addressed?
"Education. I think we actually we're in better shape than most, but I truly believe that education is your ticket to a better future. And so that the better we can educate our kids, the better a future they're going to have."
Who most influenced or inspired you to give back?
"My parents. My parents were both big givers, big community givers, and I think I just grew up with it in my DNA. But again, just understand that they never preached it. They didn't say, 'When you're older you need to be ... ' I saw how much they impacted people. Especially children. My mother was a special ed teacher, and she did a lot of tutoring. You know, pro bono tutoring. My dad was actually very involved in our church and in our schools, and I just saw the community's appreciation for their efforts and I saw that their efforts were really having an impact. So that's probably what inspires me. They've both been gone for a long time and I carry that with me as I live that my life. I hope it keeps them alive with me by trying to be the daughter that I think they hope I would be."
Meet the 2023 Enquirer Women of the Year
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Woman of the Year Anne Jaroszewicz helps children find their gifts
