Leslie Peck:  

After graduating from RHS in 86, I attended Ohio State University for two years, then transferred to Ohio University for two years, where I specialized in Health and Human Services and Therapeutic Recreation Studies. While in my sophomore year at OSU, I held a position as a student intern at the Governor's Residence in Bexley, Ohio under Governor Celeste. My job was to invite guests to functions at the Residence and welcome guests upon arrival to events. Immediately after graduating from OU early summer 1990, I accepted a graduate research assistantship at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. While I was at UGA, I earned a Master of Education degree, and specialized in Therapeutic Recreation, in 1992. As a part of my graduate program, I completed a three-month internship at the Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan in the Morale and Welfare Recreation Department for the U.S. Navy fleet. While working there and planning intramural sports for the Navy, I also had the opportunity to tour Japan every weekend. While in Japan, one of my most exhilarating experiences was climbing Mt. Fuji; Fuji San. At the summit, I watched the sunrise and it was one of the most magnificent views I've ever seen firsthand. The Hakone National Park surrounds Mt. Fuji and it is a gorgeous and breathtaking area. To this date, Japan is one of the most fascinating places I've ever visited; the culture is intriguing, the people are welcoming, the public transportation is outstanding, the countryside is breathtaking and the food is mouth-watering. In my case, I traveled there alone, learning just a small amount of Japanese beforehand, and yet I was able to navigate around the country with little effort. I was so impressed! Another site in Japan that was one of my personal favorites was Nikko, which is a vast, ornate shrine built to commemorate Japan's most famous general. Nikko is unique as the shrines and temples appear to simply flow into the natural surroundings of the magnificent mountainside that is covered with giant, red cedars. While I was in Japan, Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines. My fiancee at the time, a U.S. Naval officer, was stationed at the Navy Base in Subic Bay, Philippines and I decided rather than returning to the States after my internship ended in Japan, that I would spend the next nine months with him as he finished his overseas assignment. During my time in Subic Bay, I worked as a Navy civilian for the Navy Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program as a facilitator and course instructor. Military personnel who had alcohol or drug violations needed to gain credits to clear their records and they completed the course in order to do so. In the meantime, the only way I could stay on the Navy Base as a civilian was to be a dependent, so my fiancee and I got married overseas, a year before we had planned. We were married for eleven years and had a son who I love and adore dearly. Dana is one of my pride and joys and is now in fourth grade at a wonderful public school close to home in South Carolina. Along the way, before my son was born, my ex and I lived in Charleston, South Carolina, St. Maarten, Boulder, Colorado, Washington D.C. and settled back in Charleston, SC for the remainder of our marriage. During that time, I worked for the Disabilities Board of Charleston County (DBCC) as a residential community home manager. I learned an unbelievable amount. My job at the DBCC was to oversee the individual program plans for the residents in service and coordinate their care with the interdisciplinary team. Also, to manage the direct care staff and communicate directly with families. In addition, I was the director of two therapeutic recreation specialists. I was on-call around-the-clock, so when my son was born, I decided to be home full-time and raise him. After my ex and I parted ways due to irreconcilable dif...Expand for more