ESSO Welcomes New Director

In the past few years, Liz Reyes has made a career of building bridges between communities. In the past month, as the new ESSO coordinator, Reyes hopes to achieve similar aims on the PEA campus.“I have worked with most of the diversity the U.S. has to offer,” Reyes said, “Everything I’ve done, I have facilitated; I bridge gaps between communities.”Reyes brings to her position a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership. Last year, Reyes served as the development director at New Outlook Teen Center in Exeter, and before coming to Exeter she spent 25 years working with organizations like UNICEF, City Year New Hampshire, and the Peace Corps in Namibia. She graduated from Boston College with a Bachelors Degree in Education and received a Masters Degree from the University of Massachusetts.“This important position serves as the clearinghouse for most non sibi student activities, which are a critical component to our students’ experiences here,” Principal Hassan said in an email to faculty and staff. “Liz’s incredible depth of experience, both locally and globally, make her a very good fit for our community.”Reyes began her job as the new ESSO Coordinator on March 26th, five days before Loosigian’s last day at the Academy, and has been working closely with ESSO adviser Robert Thompson and ESSO student leaders ever since.Reyes immediately noted the enthusiasm of students at Exeter. “Ev- eryone was so welcoming,” she said. “It’s been great, because when I was in high school, I went to a great all girls’ preparatory school, but I don’t ever remember being as motivated as the students I work with here. So it’s nice to be working with such as dedicated group of young people.”Reyes says it will take her some time to get used to the new job and the environment of PEA. “I am coming from a small nonprofit office. My last job had two staff,” she said.Loosigian expressed confidence in Reyes’ abilities. “I know Ms. Reyes from her work in the community and have found her to be very competent, creative, warm, friendly, and a great communicator,” Loosi- gian said. “She has had some inspired experience with teens and has lived in Africa. Her children participate in ESSO children's clubs and she has had deep volunteer experience in this community.”Even though she has been at the helm for just under a month, Reyes has already made an impact on ESSO itself and the Exonians who help run it smoothly. “Working with Ms. Reyes is one of the best parts of my day; she is relaxed yet focused and brings this calm energy over all of us,” ESSO co-head upper Sabrina Movitz said.Others also praised Reyes’ focus and composure as two defining characteristics. “Ms. Reyes is an amazing ESSO advisor and leader in general. She is always so calm and composed, while maintaining a passion for service that is contagious,” ESSO co-head upper Saisha Talwar said. “She also is extremely organized, and allows ESSO to remain a student run organization, while still stepping in whenever she senses we need it.Upper Natasha Lim added, “Ms. Reyes is a very focused and orga- nized leader. She fully understands the importance of service learning and ensures that it is maintained throughout ESSO.”As someone who attended an all girls’ preparatory school, Reyes also understands the students better and appreciates their hard work.“I do not ever remember being as motivated as the students I work with here,” Reyes said. “So it is nice to be working with such as dedicated group of young people.”Nonetheless, Reyes is still taking the time to acquire knowledge from the students and work on the objectives that were set before her start as the coordinator. “Since she is our new ESSO leader, she's taking her time to learn from us, rather than the other way around. We are all a bit more familiar with the way ESSO runs, so this year's goals are more the students on the leadership board's goals,” Movitz said. “Right now, we are working on publicity and accountability for the next ESSO year. We will soon be categorizing clubs on a 1-3 scale in terms of commitment, so ESSOnians know what they are getting into.”Reyes added, “It does not matter as much what my goals are, rather we have to come together and have the same vision. That being said I would love to get larger participatory events so we can get a higher number of students participating in ESSO either once or twice through- out the year.”