Elizabeth Bock is a creative and passionate Direct Support Professional. She was first able to experience Rainbows at Camp Woodchuck in the Summer of 2016. After taking the school year off, Elizabeth returned to Camp Woodchuck in the Summer of 2017 and has been with Rainbows ever since. However, her soft spot for children with special needs dated back to when she was in elementary school. One Summer at a public swimming pool, she saw a group of children with Down syndrome and was instantly intrigued. Later in life, Elizabeth found out that she has a chromosomal issue and knew from that point on that she wanted to surround herself with children in and out of a school setting.
Elizabeth is a paraeducator to children with special needs for USD 259 throughout the day. After the school day, she dedicates her time to picking up Rainbows clients and hanging out with them all over town. She takes that time to teach them as much as she can, and to learn from them as well. Elizabeth believes that her greatest achievement is the knowledge that she has gained and how fulfilled she is being with the kids. Elizabeth says, “I feel my purpose is to grow and learn right along with my clients. I truly feel appreciated and like I’m a part of this amazing family.”
There are so many great parts about working with Rainbows. Elizabeths favorite part about working at Rainbows is the children. She says, “They are funny and always happy to see me.” Elizabeth goes on to say, “they are proof that miracles exist. They fill my heart so full that I overflow daily. Nothing makes me happier than to be a part of their lives and to have them be a part of mine.” Rainbows is just as grateful for Elizabeth. Her supervisor Tiffany Graf states, “Liz has been with Rainbows for many years, and she builds great relationships with the kids.”
Elizabeth has many great memories from her time at Rainbows. One of the memories that stands out is a client that she had many years ago. Elizabeth explained that this client “liked to fake people out. She’d call you over, and as soon as you approached her, she’d turn her nose up and clench her fists to her chest. She would then wait for you to walk away and call you back. When she finally hugged you, you felt on top of the world.” Elizabeth feels like Rainbows has given her the opportunity to have so many cherished moments.
Camp Woodchuck occurs every year, and Elizabeth looks forward to it every time. Throughout the school year, she misses all the camp experiences. She says, “from decorating our classrooms to seeing which kid you are blessed to work with every day. In-home camp is great for that one-on-one chance to get to know the child but seeing them interact with others is so fulfilling.”
In her free time, Elizabeth loves to sing, read, do crafts, and be creative. She loves being able to share her hobbies with others as well. Elizabeth and her husband have been together for over a decade and have been married for nearly half of that time. They get to share the excitement of their two teenagers, and the love of their blind, ten-year old Pitbull mix. When asking Elizabeth about her family, she shared “my family makes me proud, and I feel so lucky to have them.”
