Written by Sruthi Gopalakrishnan
Each day at 2:30 p.m., as the school bus arrives with kids from Beaver Meadow for their after-school program at First Start, Heather Tobine stands ready at the entrance of the building to welcome them.
“The best part of coming to work is spreading a little joy and getting the smiles when kids come running up to me and give me a hug. I just love it,” said Tobine, the coordinator at First Start, a children’s center.
Her journey to working with children has been lifelong. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a Sunday school teacher, envisioning a life spent working only on Sundays.
But now she spends her entire week, nine hours a day, with children who have captured her heart.
Tobine’s love for children blossomed during her early years when she began babysitting. Then, she spent some time working at the Philbrook Center, a psychiatric facility for children. Eventually, she found her calling with First Start, where she has devoted 23 years.
“It’s a different feeling when you’re working with healthy children,” she reflects. “It was a little bit easier for me.”
As soon as Tobine arrives at work, her routine starts with taking attendance. Then, comes her favorite part. She visits each classroom to check on the kids and tries to spread positivity and keep everybody in a good mood. Afterward, she tackles clerical tasks, handling billing, scholarships, and organizing fundraisers for the school.
Christina White, a single mother of two, relocated from California and found invaluable support at First Start through Tobine. She said Tobine has gone above and beyond to make her feel like a part of the community.
“It’s more than just a job to her,” White emphasized. “She goes out of her way to spend time with the children and meet whatever needs they have. She is always a very happy positive person.”
But Tobine’s caring nature extends beyond the school walls. After her time at First Start, she often lends a helping hand at a senior center where she has formed close bonds with her elderly clients, who have become like family.
“It’s like going to visit grandma for a few hours and getting spoiled,” Tobine fondly describes her relationship with one of her senior clients.
However, life threw a curve ball at Tobine two years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The most challenging part of her journey was being away from the children she adored. All she yearned for was to recover quickly and return to their warm embraces.
“The three months I had to be away from work felt like the longest time,” said Tobine. “But I got lots of flowers. I never had dying flowers in the house. As much as it was a struggling time, I just felt loved by the people around me.”