Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilary Ward.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Hilary. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story is one of leaping faith. Leaving a good, high paying, stable job in a community that I had lived in for 25 years to take a job as a director of a nonprofit in the backcountry was risky! But I knew I needed a change of life and a new challenge. I have always been drawn to working with children and spent most of my career in education. I started as a special education instructional aide and went back to school in my late 30’s to become a school psychologist. For 14 years I was a school psychologist in the Poway Unified School District. I loved my job, but the stress and demands were overwhelming and I found my well-being was suffering immensely.
In November 2017, my husband and I bought what we thought was a vacation/future retirement home in Julian, CA. Immediately, I knew Julian was where I was supposed to be. I have always been a city girl but the beauty, wildlife, and nature were healing. The people and community were refreshing. I never felt so alive as I did when I was in Julian and I wanted to be a part of it. The problem was how do I find a job in this small, rural community? I reached out to the school district, but they were not hiring a school psychologist, plus the one they had worked in several districts to be full-time. I didn’t get discouraged as I felt the right job would open up when the time was right. I didn’t have to wait long. The director of Pathways retired in June 2018 and I happened to see the job listing posted. I knew that is was a stretch for me, but I applied anyway. Ironically, on the last day of the school year for me, I got a call for an interview. I was hired for the job and started on July 1, 2018.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have been plenty of struggles, but I like to think of them as challenges! I had to learn a completely new career in a new community that I knew nothing about. Although, I am a firm believer that on the job learning is the best way. The other major challenge has been having to be away from my family during the week. My husband and both my adult children live in San Diego. My husband works in La Jolla and the commute from Julian to La Jolla would be too much. We spend the weekends together and as much time as can fit in. It isn’t ideal but it is a sacrifice we are willing to make. Hopefully, soon my husband will be able to semi-retire and be in Julian full-time!
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
Julian, California is a small, rural, remote community in the mountains of northeast San Diego County, sixty miles northeast of the city of San Diego. Although the town of Julian is small, the Julian Union School District/Julian Union High School District service a geographic area of more than 600 square miles. We sit alone in a large geographic area separated to the west and south by national parks, the north by mountains, and the east by the desert.
Many who visit Julian come away with the impression of an idyllic mountain retreat. However, those who visit don’t see the challenges of those living here due in part to rural isolation. Services taken for granted by urban dwellers and usually provided by social and community service agencies, do not exist in Julian. The nearest hospital is 40 miles away with the closest Health and Human Services Resource Center and affordable supermarket 22 miles away. To complicate matters, public transportation is almost non-existent. There is only one public bus that comes to Julian on a Friday morning and returns in the afternoon. These challenges make it even more important for Pathways to provide as many supportive services and programs as possible to the community.
Now about Pathways: Julian Pathways was established in 2000 to address the community needs and to deliver prevention and intervention services to students and their families. The mission of Pathways is to ensure that each child receives the physical, emotional, and intellectual support he or she needs – in school, at home, and in the community – to learn well. Our vision is one of equity and opportunities for all to achieve to their potential, including students and families, to better the community. To this end, Pathways offers a myriad of resources and programs including before/after school programs, social services, wellness activities and education, parenting classes, garden/nutrition education, food support for weekends, academic support/enrichment, character education, and counseling services. These services are offered at the Pathway’s office located on the campus of the Julian Union School District, the heart of the community, so that families and children may take advantage of them.
I am so proud of our organization. All the people who work at Pathways are passionate about helping people and changing lives. What I am most proud of is them and what they do every single day!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel that our organization is unique in many ways. Before starting, a two-year long planning group assessed the needs of the community. The assessment revealed specific needs for the community and Pathways developed programs and services to meet those needs. This was a long, thorough process that I would highly recommend before trying to start an organization like Pathways.
The most challenging part of running Pathways is funding. As a nonprofit, we are grant and donation funded. We have lost many great programs due to grants ending. My staff and I have big aspirations for Pathways to help the community of Julian but need funds to do that. If you are ever in Julian, come on by for a tour and we will take you out for the best apple pie you have ever had!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1704 Cape Horn
Julian, CA 92036 - Website: www.julianpathways.org
- Phone: 760-765-2228
- Email: hilary.ward@juesd.net
- Instagram: @Julianpathwaysinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Julianpathways
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