Regional superintendent recognized for efforts with underprivileged children with Theda Jansen Award

QUINCY — Jill Reis first became involved with the Quincy Neighborhood Federation when she was a teacher at Irving School. She continued that relationship when she became the principal at Berrian School.

“I got to know the students, got to know their families and got to know that community … and I fell in love,” Reis said.

The Neighborhood Federation recognized Reis on Tuesday for her efforts. She was the 38th recipient of the Theda Jansen Award, given annually to a group or individual who gives time to help underprivileged children from local neighborhoods.

However, when she took a position as the assistant regional superintendent to schools for Adams and Pike counties in July 2011, Reis worried about continuing her relationship with the federation.

“When you’re in the building with kids every day, you simply ask, ‘What can I do to help?’” Reis said. “If it’s raining or snowing, you’re making sure certain kids made it to school. If somebody hadn’t been at school for a couple days, and nobody was answering the phone at home, you went out and knocked on doors. 

“We’re all given time, talents and treasures. Then you figure out how to use them in a way that benefits other people. I just started thinking about what I could do, from where I was, and how it might look different than it did before.”

The Regional Offices of Education No. 1, which serves the counties of Adams, Brown, Cass, Morgan, Pike, and Scott, promoted Reis to regional superintendent when Debbie Niederhauser retired in 2015. Her office now is at 507 Vermont, yet she still makes a difference in the neighborhood surrounding her old school.

“I don’t know the children as well, but I know the neighborhood,” she said. “And I know some of the resources that might be available to help. If somebody needs housing, I know who we can contact to assist. If someone needs after-school snacks, I know the resources that can provide the funding for that piece.

“I don’t get to spend as much time there as I want, but every second is an absolute blessing.”

Rhonda Murry, program consultant with the Neighborhood Federation, said Reis would stop by the Parsons Youth Center, across the street from Irving School at 812 Payson, to drop off snacks for kids.

“She would always ask how she could help,” Murry said. “She would drop by often with toothbrushes, clothing … pretty much anything a child might need. 

“When she went on to Berrian, she worked at Harrison Hills (Youth Center, 540 Harrison) with parents who could not get their kids to school or if parents couldn’t attend parent-teacher conferences. She went to the homes to make sure parents knew how their child was doing. She also helped our group with neighborhood Christmas shopping, and she brings items for our back-to-school fair each year.”

The award is named for Quincy police officer Theda Jansen, who died in 1983. She was known for the relationships she created with children throughout the city. The award is considered a continuation of Jansen’s principles that helped build the Quincy Area Project in 1953, which led to the creation of the Quincy Neighborhood Foundation to oversee the operation of three neighborhood centers.

The Quincy Neighborhood Federation serves neighborhoods west of 12th Street. Along with the Parsons Youth Center and Harrison Hills Youth Center, it also operates the Jefferson Youth Center at 1201 N. Fifth.

Murry says Reis now assists the federation by serving its small food pantries scattered throughout the city.

“She does many behind-the-scenes projects for us and never has wanted recognition,” Murry said. 

The award humbled Reis.

“The community that the Neighborhood Federation serves is amazing,” she said. “There are so many people who give so other people can have what they need. It’s a community that holds each other up. It’s just an honor to be a part of that.”