Getting to know... Blendelle Hopper

Blendelle Hopper

 

Passionate About Helping Others as an Employee Service Representative (ESR)

Blendelle Hopper is one of the many "born-and-raised-in-Arizona" team members at ESI. Blendelle grew up in Phoenix and attended the Alhambra School District throughout elementary and high school. For ESI, she's an ESR team lead, where she interfaces with everyone from potential and current employees to substitute coordinators. ESR's are a communication "hub" at ESI, helping coordinate all questions, and providing assistance to ESI's employees.  

It's a role that suits Blendelle perfectly, since she's passionate about helping others, while enabling teachers to impact students in the classroom.  

"All of [the employees I speak with] have a ripple effect that gets to the children. I feel like in an indirect, but very real way, our work has an impact on the kids in the classroom. We all, impact each other." 

"All of [the employees I speak with] have a ripple effect that gets to the children," Blendelle said. "I feel like in an indirect, but very real way, our work has an impact on the kids in the classroom. We all, impact each other." 

For Blendelle, it's this "helping" aspect of ESI's culture that has been so important to her time at ESI.  

"If you have a question, or need assistance with anything, everyone is willing to help. Everyone is going to lift you up. Everyone is going to support you. It's truly remarkable."

"If you have a question, or need assistance with anything, everyone is willing to help," Blendelle said. "Everyone is going to lift you up. Everyone is going to support you. It's truly remarkable." 

Blendelle is a writer, a food and coffee afficionado, and a chess player (ask her about her Sunday morning games with Keaton, and Gordon Ramsay's lobster risotto). Her tastes in food and games vary almost as much as her taste in music, or her list of places she would like to travel to. Blendelle loves to learn and to stay curious…about people, languages, new places, or how to perfect her yellow curry (another culinary specialty she is known for).  

Blendelle's "inner-child" and spirit of curiosity has downstream effects for the employees and students that she impacts. It's this advice that she would pass along to educators.

"Being able to empathize with children and at the same time, being very open while celebrating your own curiosity really has an impact [on students]. They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." 

"Being able to empathize with children and at the same time, being very open while celebrating your own curiosity really has an impact [on students]," Blendelle said. "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." 

Name:

Blendelle Hopper

Official Role at ESI:

ESR Team Lead

Where did you grow up?

Phoenix. Alhambra School District

Who is your favorite superhero?

Green Lantern

If you had an all expenses paid vacation, where would you go?

Norway, to see the northern lights

Aside from necessities like food or water, what is one thing could you not go a day without?

Music.

Currently listening to:

A bit of everything, from modern synthwave to neo-soul to foreign genre-defying music!

What was your favorite subject in school?

English and French

How about your favorite meal?

It changes often!

Currently:

Burger and a beer, great breakfast burrito (but the lobster risotto is still up there)

What celebrity would you like to meet?

Writer, Margaret Atwood

What is your favorite family tradition?

A new one: stocking exchange at Christmas

What's your favorite part about working in education?

Being able to connect with, and empathize with employees that are impacting students

Any advice for teachers or educators?

"They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."