W hich one did you get? My friends and I compare our emotional support pocket pals. There were different variants of the emotional support pocket pals, including crazy chickens, Mike Wazowski’s cousin, and tea cups. Included with the support pal, was a little note from Team CoCo. It contained a quote from A.A. Milne saying, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” And ended with a unique adjective like “impressive” or “extraordinary.”
Ever since Dr. Jann Lacoss joined the Westridge community back in September as Assistant Director of College Counseling, she has been empowering seniors in the midst of school and college applications.
Crochet has been a passion of Dr. Lacoss’ since she was eight years old. Learning the traditional way from her grandmother, she has continued this tradition by passing down this skill to her son.
During graduate school, Dr. Lacoss realized that crocheting during classes and meetings helped her to internalize the material.
She would make baby blankets and sweaters. She said, “It’s also how I concentrate on stuff. If I’m in a lecture, it helps me to really think about what’s being said.” During meetings, she would make little crochet hearts for her fellow professors and their students. “[In a meeting], I would just make comments and put in my two cents, and they’re like, ooh, ‘we hadn’t thought of that,’ yeah, cause I can concentrate on what you’re saying, because I’m not yawning.”
More recently, before arriving at Westridge, Dr. Lacoss worked at CalTech where she would leave little crocheted plushies and flowers around campus for people to find. She shared how much joy crocheting for people brought her. She said, “I just like doing stuff for people, anything to bring a smile to someone’s face.”
Dr. Lacoss used to hand out her crochet plushies at fast food drive throughs and even in her own neighborhood. During Halloween, she makes keychains like eyeballs or ghosts, and during the holidays, she makes ornaments. “It’s a tiny way to bring a smile to someone’s face. You never know what someone’s going through and what the effect is going to be.” When Dr. Lacoss got her position at Westridge, “I knew I wanted to give all of my students these [emotional support pals].”
Senior Zuri O. felt recognized by Dr. Lacoss’ crochet gift, “It made me feel seen, like [she was] thinking about us. [It’s a] really heartwarming gesture. I know it took a lot of time. I crochet. It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s really personalized.”
Sitting next to her, fellow senior Emmabella B. nodded in agreement. She recalled how stressful the college application season has been and the joy the support pal has brought. She said, “Especially having finished up the first round of applications, knowing that she thought of us and knew that something cute and personal would give us that extra boost to keep going was really nice.”
Dr. Lacoss’s face lights up when talking about her job at Westridge. “Now I’m here, and I smile all the time because they’ll pay me to do this? Just walk around and talk about college and help people find the right places for them.” Her positive outlook on life is not only reflected in her interactions with others but also in her deep passion for her work.
Dr. Monique Eguavoen, Director of College Counseling, said, “The students’ excitement at receiving their emotional support animal was palpable. We had students rushing up the stairs to grab one and chatting with each other in the hallways about which one they received.”
When Ms. Pam White, Administrative Assistant to College Counseling, handed out the support pals, she noted how impactful they were, “I know the students loved her little gifts that she made because they were made from her heart.”
Each emotional support pocket pal takes her about 20-30 minutes to crochet, and her designs include chicken nuggets, ducks, and fried eggs. If you’re inspired by Dr. Lacoss’ love for life and crochet, here are a few pieces of advice she has for you: “Don’t get frustrated because it seems hard at first. There is no stress in crochet, only tension. Just have to relax, loose is good for your stitches.” And most importantly, “You have to count. Crochet means counting.” There’s no counting the impact her kindness has had on the Westridge community and even beyond, inspiring others to follow her compassionate acts.
