(upbeat music) We continue talking with and to whole range of folks who are in Atlantic City for the New Jersey Education Association Convention.

Jacqui, this interview with Trina Jenkins, tell everyone who Trina is 'cause you did this interview.

- She's the ESP of the year, and ESP stands for Educational Support Professionals, which again, okay, who are those people, right?

And they are the glue that holds our school communities together.

They're anybody from the school custodians, to the bus drivers, to the technical workers, the para-educators, the health and student service workers, like our nurses, there's such a big team.

Of course, our educators, the teachers in the classroom are so important, but there's this bigger, larger team within the school.

They're the glue that holds the school together, like Trina likes to say.

So she was surprised that she found out she was- - Oh, she was?

- Yeah, yeah.

She talks about it in the interview a little bit, getting the call from Sean Spiller, the NJEA President, that she was the Educational Support Professional of the year.

And she takes that very seriously to continue to make sure that ESPs all over the state have a voice.

And you know, we're talking about 2.2 million ESPs work in our nation's public schools and colleges right now.

- 2.2 million?

- Yes, (chuckles) that is a large number of people that we're talking about, right?

And I've even read too that more than three out of five support professionals are giving money out of their own pockets to help students with things like classroom materials, and field trips, and class projects.

These are people that are just so invested in our children in so many different ways, and Trina's one of those, and you get to hear a little bit about her and her story up next.

- They're unsung heroes, if you will.

Let me ask you this.

When I was watching this interview, one of the things that struck me is Trina's passion for what she does.

She cares deeply about these kids and about education.

Someone says, "Well, she's not a teacher, she's not an educator," but she is an educator, and she's part of the larger ecosystem that makes a difference for our kids.

Anyway, it just struck me, her passion and her enthusiasm for what she does.

All right, so that's it, I'm off my soapbox again.

Trina Jenkins, Jacqui Tricarico, all the way from Atlantic City at the New Jersey Education Association Convention, talking to the 2023 NJEA educational support professional.

That is Trina Jenkins, check it out.

- Hi, I am Jacqui Tricarico, on location at the New Jersey Education Association's annual convention here in Atlantic City, and I'm so pleased to be joined by Trina Jenkins, who is the 2023 NJEA ESP of the Year.

- Yes.

- Okay, ESP.

A lot of people hear that and they're like, "What is an ESP?"

Educational Support Professional.

Describe that role.

And you have talked about ESPs as the unsung heroes in our classroom.

- Yes, yes, yes.

- Describe it for us.

- So, ESP, as you said, is a Educational Support Professional.

We are the unsung hero, and there are many titles that fall under ESP.

I'm a paraprofessional.

I work paraprofessional.

People are more familiar with the term teacher's assistant, but we are paraprofessionals.

We also have secretaries, bus drivers, lunch aides, bus aides, maintenance, custodial.

All of those fall under ESP, and we are the glue that holds everything together.

- Yeah, so I have a family member who is an ESP as well, and I know they're in the classroom, they're with the children, they're supporting the teachers, supporting the children in so many different ways.

What led you into this career for you?

- I've sort of been a advocate for students and children all my life.

I used to be a summer camp director, and I've always clung to the child that maybe wasn't noticed, and I just stepped in, wanted to advocate for them, just make them know that they're worthy, feel their worth, and just feel supported by adults.

And there was an ad in the paper for, it was called AmeriCorps.

It was through the AmeriCorps program, where you could be a teacher's assistant, and I applied for it.

I thought it was just a quick little thing to help me with my college tuition, but I grew to love the profession, and I've been doing it ever since, and it's been 24 years.

- 24 years.

Those 24 years in Pleasantville School District, correct?

- Yes, yes.

- And a lot of the times, are you working with special needs children as well?

- Yes, I work in a multiple disabled classroom setting now, predominantly autism students, kindergarten to second grade.

And, throughout my career, I've worked mostly with autistic children.

- Talk about how that has even shifted more for you working with that population of our children who are just incredible, but learning different.

- Right.

- Especially given...

I know that you have two grandchildren who are on the spectrum as well.

- That's right, correct.

- Talk about how that's changed a little bit about how you're working with those children.

- I believe that me working with autistic children kind of prepared me as a grandmother for the autistic grandchildren that I have, but I just love autistic children or children that's on the spectrum, 'cause they're very unique, they're very smart, bright in their own rights.

They just think different.

And if you get to understand them, you can get so much accomplished with children that are on the spectrum, and I just love what I do, yeah.

- It comes off.

You can tell how much you love what you do, and I'm sure that's one of the reasons, one of the many reasons why you were selected as ESP of the Year.

Talk about finding out about that, being the ESP of the year.

How did you find out?

'Cause I know they like to surprise you.

(laughs) - They like to surprise you.

So, almost a year ago today, I was here prepared for the convention because I'm a delegate assembly member.

So, it was a long day, I was kinda tired, so I did some things that I needed to do for the convention, and then I went to my room, put my hair bonnet on, and one of my ESP committee chairpersons called me FaceTime, and I'm thinking, "Why is she calling me FaceTime?

It must be an emergency, so let me answer."

I answer, it's Sean Spiller.

- Yeah.

- Joanne.

And here I am with the bonnet.

And Sean is- - Sean Spiller, the President of NJEA.

- The President of NJEA.

- Yeah.

- Hysterical.

So, that's when they told me that I was nominated... 'Cause I was selected as the county ESP.

And then I was- - Yes, that's the next level.

- Yes, for the state.

And that's how I was laying in my room when I found out.

And then, of course got up, and had to go celebrate.

- That's awesome.

- Yes.

- So as the ESP, what does that title mean?

What have you been doing over the last year to advocate even more than you already do for the ESPs?

- Well, it's mainly advocating.

Some counties they might ask me to come and talk to their members.

Just member engagement, just encouraging them, and knowing that we are worthy, the education system can't survive without ESPs, you know?

So, I just go around whenever invited to speak to different ESPs and just encourage them, and I just represent for New Jersey.

- That's wonderful.

And, another thing you're doing for New Jersey, Governor Murphy reached out to... You are part of the special task force to really attack this teacher shortage.

ESP, staff shortage in general in our public schools.

What does that role look like for you?

- It was very intriguing, because I was the only ESP there, so I was the voice, and I just really drove home some of the issues, like we need job justice, like some ESPs, we don't have tenure, we need tenure, so I was advocating for that.

And, just the different things that we need, so my voice was really strong.

It was such an honor to be a part of that task force.

And, yeah, it was- - Well, what is for you the rest of your career look like in our public schools?

What do you see the next couple years looking like for you?

- I'm just gonna continue to advocate.

I would love one day to be a part of the exec team representing ESP, because I don't believe we have a ESP on the exec level.

But I just wanna continue to advocate, do what I love, helping other ESPs just know their worth and that they're important, and the school system just can't survive without us, so I just wanna keep advocating and encouraging as much as possible.

- The glue, like you said, the unsung heroes that are holding our classrooms, our schools together.

ESPs, so many staff, support staff within our school districts that are really... We owe so much to.

- That's right.

- And thank you for bringing a voice to that, Trina.

- Of course.

- It's so great to speak with you.

Thank you.

- Thank you for having me.

- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Celebrating 30 years in public broadcasting.

Funding has been provided by The New Jersey Education Association.

NJ Best, New Jersey’s five-two-nine college savings plan.

Holy Name.

Rowan University.

Investors Foundation.

New Jersey Sharing Network.

PSEG Foundation.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

And by NJM Insurance Group.

Promotional support provided by Northjersey.com and Local IQ.

And by BestofNJ.com.

- [Narrator] To watch more One on One with Steve Adubato find us online and follow us on Social media.

- (Narrator) New Jersey is home to the best public schools in the nation, and that didn't happen by accident.

It's the result of parents, educators and communities working together year after year to give our students a world class education.

No matter the challenge, because parents and educators know that with a shared commitment to our public schools, our children can learn, grow and thrive.

And together, we can keep New Jersey's public schools the best in the nation.