Resilience and Positivity in Adversity with Jackie Gilby

In this episode of the Resilient Schools Podcast, recorded live at the Bridging to Resilience Conference, we hear from Jackie Gilby, who shares her powerful story of overcoming adversity. Jackie spent 17 years in foster care, experiencing adversity and being stuck in a cycle of poverty and street living. Despite these challenges, Jackie maintained a positive outlook on life, emphasizing the value of experiencing hardships to appreciate the good in life. She eventually turned her life around, finding sobriety, securing stable housing, and becoming an active participant in her community's efforts to combat poverty. Working at a nonprofit, STEP MC, Jackie now helps others escape poverty by sharing her experiences and the lessons she learned along the way. The conversation touches on the transformative power of facing one's fears, the importance of community support, and the belief in a higher power guiding one's journey toward a better life.00:10 Jackie's Journey: From Foster Care to Finding Her Path00:57 The Power of a Positive Mindset Amidst Life's Challenges02:15 Overcoming Adversity: Jackie's Transition to Sobriety and Stability03:28 Empowering Others: Jackie's Work with STEP MC to End Poverty09:42 Building a Better Future: Jackie's Goals and Aspirations14:05 Reflections on Parenting, Recovery, and Finding Fulfillment18:20 Jackie's Message of Hope and Courage to Those Struggling We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL. Learn more about Renaissance: As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.