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ith the fresh news of her “Woman of Distinction” award, Independence School Board vice president Jill Esry had her parents in mind. In a phone interview responding to news of her award, she spoke of her father’s volunteering, weekends he would spend driving an elderly woman from church. He w a s t h e ty p e o f g u y who would, in Esry’s words, “ d o a ny t h i n g f o r a ny b o d y.” She spoke of her mother’s role in the Independence Junior Service League, footsteps she
2016 Women of Distinction Awards
Jill Esry
would follow many years later when Esry herself joined in 1995. “I feel so drawn to give back,” she said. “I’ve been blessed.” In addition to her role on the school board, Esry belongs to the Meals on Wheels board. She’s also part of the Truman Heartland Community Foundation as part of their Independence and Sugar Creek Advisory Board and Coalition for All Ages initiative. Esry also has roles in governance bodies with Habitat for Humanity and the Child Abuse Prevention Association. She also is the recipient of a Citizen of the Year award as
is her husband Bill Esry. She’s also received the Paul Morris C o m m u n i ty S e r v i c e Aw a r d . Jill Esry, who will face election in April to serve a second term on the school board, sees herself as an advocate for the students. “The reason I ran six years ago is that I grew up in Independence,” she said. “I want to be a small part of helping kids get a great education in Independence.” Esry said she’s excited about the district’s efforts to innovate instruction through projects like the Academies program at all Independence high schools,
a career-centered program for students giving them industry-specific curriculum in areas like finance and engineering. “I’m very excited about the Academies. I’m very excited to see where they’ll be” in the future, she said. Esry affirmed that the school board is a collection of efforts and goals rather than a vessel for any one person’s objectives, hers included. “I have learned in my six years that it’s not about individual goals. It’s about being support of the administration. They’re the ones in the trenches,” Esry said.