Boys Town Family-Teachers Awarded at National Conference
Recently, Boys Town Family-Teachers Kyle and Jodi Skartvedt were awarded the Lonnie and Elaine Phillips Distinguished Practitioner Award at the 2019 Teaching Family Association Conference. This award is given to a Family-Teaching couple or individual practitioner who has demonstrated a level of professional excellence that reflects the highest standard of care established by our first Family-Teacher practitioners, Lonnie and Elaine Phillips.
The Skartvedts began their careers as Family-Teachers® at Boys Town in August 1998. They moved to Nebraska from Minnesota with their young children and quickly made family-teaching their lives. In 21 years as Family-Teachers, they have loved and served more than 135 young women and their families.
During their years of service, the Skartvedts have experienced a special luncheon with First Lady Laura Bush, countless special guests and birthday and holiday celebrations galore. They've watched their own children and all the girls who came through their home grow into young adults. They've said many tearful goodbyes to people they love, watched their daughter graduate and saw their son head off to the Air Force making them empty nesters. They have hosted many "Slip N' Slide" parties, wrapped thousands of Christmas gifts, and supported hundreds of new Family-Teachers – and they still get up every day loving what they do.
Living with the Skartvedts means you learn the importance of family and tradition. Many of their former Boys Town girls join them for the holidays each year. Much of their own extended family attends as well. This isn't the Skartvedts' job – it's their lives. This loving couple has created wonderful memories for so many for a long time.
One of their former youth, Sommer, described the couple this way, "The Skaertvedts are some of the most thoughtful and selfless people I've ever met. They went out of their way to make me feel welcomed and loved in their home. Even eleven years later, when I'm sure I've over-stayed my welcome, I always get a text 'I hope you're joining us for Thanksgiving dinner' or 'We're going over to watch the fireworks at 9, we'll save you a spot.' I feel very lucky and blessed that I was placed in their home so long ago, and that our relationship continues beyond my stay with them."
In 21 years, the Skartvedts have learned a lot. What they make look so easy took time, patience and prayer. Along the way, they've had good times and bad times. Through it all, their faith has kept them grounded and lifted them up when times were tough. Every day they remember the countless blessings they've received by making service to others as Family-Teachers their lives.
Their daughter Emily says it best when she explained what it's like to grow up at Boys Town and the type of people her parents are...
https://vimeo.com/200670630
Congratulations Kyle and Jodi! Boys Town is grateful to have you!
