Sept. 26, 2024-- Longtime High School East student assistance counselor (SAC) Dawn Aulisi has impacted countless lives in and around her school. In addition to her one-on-one work with students, she’s been a tremendous advocate for mental health within the greater Toms River community, and her capacity for making connections with people and organizations doing great work has proven to be mutually beneficial.
It was a chance encounter at a professional development day that led to one important connection.
“Pine Beach, Beachwood, and Toms River municipal alliances funded an organization called AIR™—Attitudes in Reverse—to present to our freshmen in the district,” Aulisi said. “I was so impressed with their mission, and ended up developing a nice relationship with their founder.”
That founder, Tricia Baker, lost her son Kenny to suicide. Her mission now, through AIR, is to make sure every child who needs someone to talk to finds that someone.
Unsurprisingly, Baker was impressed with the thoughtful responses and feedback she received from East students following her presentation, and she traced that empathy and awareness back to Aulisi, whose work with students is personal, relentless, and reassuring. Baker was especially impressed with how East in general and Aulisi specifically identifies students who may need help, and the careful, compassionate approach to providing that help. In essence, Baker couldn’t help but notice that Aulisi is helping AIR meets its mission, every day in one of Ocean County’s largest schools.