Jessie Case
I would like you to meet and get to know Jessie Case. Who, you might ask, is Jessie Case? Let me do my best to introduce you. First, Jessie is the co-chair of Rotaract for our District. Next year she will chair Rotaract all by her lonesome. But, there is more to Jessie than that.
Jessie was born in La Mesa at Grossmont Hospital. This makes her a local yocal. Her father, Kevin, is a retired Navy chief. Today, he is a project manager with the Department of Defense. Mother Linda is a deputy at the Colinas Women’s prison in Santee. Linda is a highly decorated black belt in martial arts. You don’t want to mess with Linda for many good reasons.Jessie was educated at Fletcher Hills Elementary School home of the Falcons. From there she went to Parkway Middle School. Can we hear it for the Patriots?
Her next academic destination was Grossmont High School and the famous Foothillers. No one knows how the moniker “Foothillers” got hung on Grossmont High. Other than Jessie, well known alumni include Frank Zappa, astronaut William Anders and left-handed pitcher Barry Zito.
In high school as a sophomore, Jessie learned about Rotary through the school’s Interact club - the Double A of Rotary. She became the club’s vice-president. This led to her life changing experience.
RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy) opened her eyes to the possibilities of changing her life and the lives of others. She went to Idyllwild for a weekend retreat with other Interact students she didn’t know. She bunked with eight girls she didn’t know from other schools. She ate meals with students from other schools she didn’t know. She participated in general sessions and breakout session with great speakers. The bonding with others and the exposure to outstanding speakers made for that life changing experience.
Becoming the first in her family to attend college, Jessie went and graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz, which makes Jessie a Banana Slug. Or, Slug for short. Sadly, no one famous went to UC Santa Cruz, unless you count novelist Amy Tan, actor and sometimes funny man, Andy Samberg and Anhoni - don’t ask.
While in college, she become involved in Rotaract. When not partying, she did community service with Rotaract all four years. She became the co-president her sophomore and junior years. In her senior year, she became the Rotaract advisor.
What was important to Jessie was the fellowship, friendship and connections she made with other Rotaract members. She volunteered almost every weekend working at the “Homeless Garden Project.” Because that is what Rotaract members do.
In District 5340, our District, there are four college-based Rotaract clubs: San Diego State University, University of California San Diego, University of San Diego and Cal State San Marcos. These Rotaract members of the universities do the same thing Rotary clubs do. They meet and have fellowship. Most importantly, they work on projects together improving the lives of those in the community. Rotaract clubs are eligible to apply for District Designated Funds (DDF) to help with those projects.
After college, Jessie returned to San Diego and became involved in a community based Rotaract club - the Pacific Beach Rotaract Club. Her involvement led Jessie to become the District Rotaract Representative (DRR). Her achievements were recognized by Rotary International who selected Jessie to be one of 60 Rotaract members to attend the International Assembly in San Diego this past January. International Assembly is where the 650 District Governors-Elect from around the world receive their final week of training to be District Governor. Jessie and the other 59 Rotaract members sat in on each of those training sessions. Her voice was heard as she offered her perspective on Rotary and Rotaract.
This year’s District Rotaract Representative is Bradley Day. And, there are six community- based Rotaract clubs in District 5340: City Heights, Coronado, Encinitas, John Paul the Great Catholic, Pacific Beach, and San Diego.
Rotaract is a great way for the post-college, young professionals and business people to meet and continue to do good work in the community and the world. As a side note, Past District Governor Scott Carr was in Rotaract before joining a Rotary club. Even more noteworthy, is that he met his wife Heather, another Rotaract member, at a Rotaract meeting.
Rotaract clubs set their own parameters as to who qualifies to be a part of the club. The age range generally goes up to thirty-five.
Today, Jessie is working on her masters at the University of San Diego (go Toreros!). She is working on Non-profit Leadership and Management. She got her start in Rotary.
When not studying Jessie works for the non-profit Hands on San Diego. Jessie is responsible for identifying, recruiting and connecting volunteers to help non-profits such as Rotary. She also maintains Hands on San Diego's website. So talented; so versatile.
There are some little known and interesting factoids about Jessie. She has traveled to 25 states with her parents in their RV. She has a keen eye and has a passion for photography. And, beware, Jessie is a third degree black belt in martial arts. You don’t want to cross her. I asked when she told her boyfriend she was a third degree black belt. She remembers telling him after she broke his arm with toss. That’s not true. It was after she busted his knee cap with a swift kick. Seriously, it was when she broke his nose with a hand block.
Please consider having Jessie speak to you club about Rotaract and how Rotary clubs and Rotaract clubs can partner together on projects, socials and anything else. Also, please invite a Rotaract member to you club meeting so they can get a taste of what a Rotary club does and is all about.
Please consider having Jessie speak to you club about Rotaract and how Rotary clubs and Rotaract clubs can partner together on projects, socials and anything else. Also, please invite a Rotaract member to you club meeting so they can get a taste of what a Rotary club does and is all about.