Yvette Jacaruso named Palmer Davies Leadership Award recipient
Norwich — Retired Norwich educator and current school board member Yvette Jacaruso has been named recipient of the 2017 Palmer Davies Leadership Award by United Community and Family Services.
Jacaruso will be recognized for her 30 years of volunteer service to the Norwich community, UCFS announced in a news release, at the agency's annual meeting on Sept. 15 at the Marina at American Wharf at Norwich Harbor.
UCFS created the award 12 years ago to honor the agency's 1876 founders, Fannie Palmer and Emily Davies. The award recognizes individuals who have fostered an environment of community spirit and understanding that reflects the mission of the founders.
Jacaruso served as a special education teacher, assistant principal in the Norwich school system from 1977 to 1988 and then became supervisor of pupil personnel and special education services in the Groton school system and later became director of pupil personnel and special education services until her retirement in 2006.
From 2007 to 2016, Jacaruso held the position of adjunct professor/supervisor of student teachers and interns at the University of New Haven. She was an adjunct professor at Mitchell College from 2006 to 2007.
Jacaruso has served on the Norwich Board of Education since 2007 and was chairwoman from 2011 to 2015. She is a member of several local civic groups, including the Otis Library board of trustees, and is Norwich school board liaison to Otis Library. She is past president of the William W. Backus Hospital Auxiliary. In May, she was recognized for performing more than 1,000 hours of volunteer work at Backus Hospital, a Hartford Healthcare partner.
“You cannot just take from a community,” Jacaruso said in the news release announcing the award. “You have to give back in order for a community to grow and prosper.”
She could not be reached for comment Thursday.
“She's really entrenched in the community,” said Pamela Allen Kinder, UCFS vice president of marketing. “She really volunteers.”
Kinder said a committee including past award recipients reviewed the several nominations submitted for this year's award. They based their selection on the mission of UCFS, the goals of the founders and the nominees' activities.
For tickets, contact Kinder at (860) 822-4146 or pkinder@ucfs.org.
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