Alea Ketchum, a level 2 teacher on The New England Center for Children’s (NECC) Ursla Drive residential team, has worked for NECC for three years. She was nominated for Staff Spotlight by a colleague because she is a “phenomenal teacher who shows compassion and consideration for all staff and students. She warmly greets each and every student when she arrives to shift each day and says goodbye before she leaves. From her first day on Ursla, she has worked phenomenally well with each student and has built strong relationships with them. She is the first person to give suggestions, offer a hand, or pick up additional tasks for the benefit of the team. She enthusiastically creates stimuli to help with student progress or materials to enrich student environments. She cares deeply about the homes our students live in and helps to teach students to maintain a happy, healthy home. She is the first person to ask you how your vacation was and to say that you were missed while you were away. She is a ray of sunshine over Ursla Drive, and we are so truly lucky to have her as a part of the team!”
How long have you worked for NECC?
I have been at NECC for the past three years. I worked on Saddle Hill for two and a half years before joining Ursla.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of this job is building meaningful relationships with my students and their families.
Why did you choose a career in helping children with autism?
I chose a career in helping children with autism because I have a close family member with autism who gave me the opportunity to learn how to communicate non-verbally from a young age. I wanted to use that experience to help other families communicate with their loved ones with autism in a meaningful way.
Why NECC?
I completed my college internship at NECC and during that internship, I knew this was exactly where I belonged.
What is something about you that your colleagues might be surprised to learn?
I am an artist, and I love making drawings or paintings for my students!
Who is someone you look up to?
I look up to my grandmother who worked with people with disabilities for many years. She taught me that with compassion, patience, and hard work, anything is possible.
What is your life philosophy or motto you like to live by?
“Be the change that you want to see in the world.”