Attendance at the Parents as Teachers International Conference in San Diego, CA in October 2024, brought about about change for the Prevention Initiative team. Ms. Jones and the Prevention Initiative team were able to see the work that they do as not only a mission that they strive to serve in the Rockford community, but also one that is being reached throughout the world. The team presented their third presentation to an international audience and watched as a fellow Parent Educator, Nicole Griseta, was honored as one of four Parent Educators of the year. Ms. Jones returned rejuvenated and motivated. According to Ms. Jones, "Attending the most recent Parents as Teachers (PAT) conference reignited my passion and gave me a fresh perspective. While exploring resources at the conference, I realized that no one had written a book that captures the importance of our work from the unique perspective of a child. This inspired me to create Miss Jelly’s Visits: A Journey from Belly to Three".
The book follows Miss Jelly as she supports a family throughout their home visiting experience, highlighting the impact of these visits on a child’s development. Ms. Jones provides this unique perspective in a family friendly way with the emphasis on the bond between the parent and child. In addition, Ms. Jones has published her book in multiple languages (Spanish, Arabic and Swahili) to support some of the languages in the community that the program serves. Ms. Jones has envisioned it as a resource that could be given to families during their first visit to set expectations or at their final visit as a celebration of their journey in the program. Ms. Jones states, "This book reflects my renewed commitment to supporting families and celebrating the transformative power of our work".
