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Middleton Resident, Sarah Jane Tufts, Awarded 'Culture of Caring Award'

WASHINGTON, CT (November 9, 2004) - Ms. Sarah Jane Tufts received the Thomas Donovan Culture of Caring Award on Thursday, October 28 in recognition of her outstanding personal and professional service as a direct care staff member at The Devereux Glenholme School in Washington, Connecticut. The Culture of Caring Award continues to value and acknowledge the spirit of caring that has long been the hallmark of Devereux's mission and ninety-year legacy. Each year, this award is presented to one staff member at each of the 13 centers amongst the Devereux Foundation.

Sarah Jane Tufts, a former resident of Middleton, Nova Scotia, graduated from Bridgetown Regional High School in 1996 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Thomas University in 2000. Following her graduation from St. Thomas, Sarah Jane went to Japan for a year and was an English Instructor at Nova English School. Her experience with children continued into the summer of 2002 where she was an English Instructor in Italy for A.C.L.E. (Associazione Culturale Linguistica Educational.) A.C.L.E. is a non-profit organization organized and endorsed by the Italian Ministry of Education. Ms. Tufts came to Devereux Glenholme, a boarding school for children with special needs, in September 2002 as a Direct Care Professional. As stated in the letter of recommendation from Glenholme's Residential Supervisors,

"Glenholme has been most fortunate in having Sarah Jane on staff because of her enriching qualities of character that she brings to the organization and to the students and staff who have the privilege of working with her. Sarah Jane is truly passionate about her work with children and adolescents. Sarah Jane is involved in many program initiatives at Glenholme in addition to her direct care responsibilities to the residential program. Sarah Jane is actively involved in promoting, planing and implementing community service projects, character education teaching and after school extra curricular activities. This is all done with a wealth of rich desire and enthusiasm in which the students and staff learn and benefit from on a daily basis."

During her time at Glenholme, Sarah Jane has become a "leader in the field of human service and demonstrates caring, respect, and takes responsibility for the students in her care. She is a role model to all professionals."