Jesse Matthews loves helping kids reach their potential

Meet Jesse Matthews. She has a passion for encouraging those around her to meet their full potential, and she strives to bring compassion and guidance to everything she does. Always preferring to work behind the scenes, her selfless approach keeps the focus on those who need it most.

Generation: I fall into the millennial generation, however I don’t consider myself to be the stereotypical millennial. Although I have an understanding of how and why things like social media are such an importance in today’s world, I try not to have it be the main focus in my life. Actual face-to-face relationships are more important to me and I feel like technology has ruined that in many ways.

Career and community involvement: I have been with the Boys and Girls Club movement for an accumulative six years and branch director for the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County, Post Falls Jordan Johnson Clubhouse, for one year. I participate in the majority of the Boys and Girls Clubs community outreach events. I also volunteer to help coach cross country for Atlas Elementary School.

1. What motivated you to work for the Boys and Girls Club?

When I first started with the movement in my early 20s I just thought it would be a fun job and I had always enjoyed working with kids. I eventually left to pursue other interests but returned three years ago. I wanted to return because I had always had a love for the organization and truly believed in what we were trying to achieve in our community. Over the last three years I have discovered that I have stumbled into my dream job. The impact that we are able to have on the kids and families in the community that we serve affects me on a level that no other job has ever come close. We don’t always get to see what this impact may be for these kids, but just knowing the potential is there and that I am helping them become the people they are meant to be makes it all worth it.

2. Why do you feel it's important that grown-ups be good role models for kids?

Everyone has the ability to affect those around them in both a positive and sometimes negative way. As adults, it is our responsibility to make sure there are more positive examples being set so that we can help put kids on the right path to achieve greatness. Kids have the ability to see and learn things that we don’t even realize sometimes and if we are living our best lives and trying our best to be a 24-hour role model then these kids are going to learn and strive for that same thing.

3. How did a grown-up make a special impact on your life when you were young?

I would say that both my parents made a special impact on my life when I was young. I am from a large family of seven kids and in my formative years we would have been considered poor. My parents put a focus on relationships and taught us that life is about the connection and interactions you have with others and not about the material things in life. This created strong bonds between me and all of my siblings and even now as adults we are all still very close.

4. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I discovered a love of running about six years ago and have since completed six half marathons along with several 5K and 10K races. I secretly try and convert all of my friends into having a love for running. I have encouraged several to run their first half-marathon and have trained alongside them in support.

5. If you could be any animal for a week, what would you be and what would you do?

As odd as it sounds, I think I would pick an Arctic tern. They have the longest distance migration over any other bird and I think it would be an amazing way to see the world.