Jennifer L. Newcome
Librarian
Northeastern High School
Manchester, Pennsylvania
“Jen sets herself apart by supporting us not only in our curricular work, but by making connections with colleagues, students, and the community on a daily basis.”
Everyone at Northeastern High School knows they count on Jennifer L. Newcome. For her fellow educators, she is a mentor and role model; for students, she is a constant cheerleader, a research partner, and a source of support.
Jennifer has transformed the Northeastern library into a community hub. Learners of all kinds feel welcome in the space, from struggling students seeking out tutoring to dual-enrollees who need somewhere to focus on college assignments. Students and teachers alike know they can come find Jennifer for research assistance, mentorship, or moral support.
In one story from her nomination letter, Jennifer noticed a student who seemed hungry sitting alone in the library at lunch, so she began packing food for him every day and checking in with his teachers; he blossomed from a struggling student to an honor roll recipient, with Jennifer always there to cheer him on. When he moved away for his senior year, Jennifer took the time to contact his new school librarian so they could help him continue to thrive.
“Jen consistently goes above and beyond her required duties to improve our school,” her nominators wrote. “Whether it is devotion to attending sporting events, musicals, inductions, or student performances, or simply being the one to reach out to a student in need, there is no one at Northeastern who does as much as Jen does to improve our community.”