Hailey Rutledge and Teddi Hacaga both earned their bachelor of social work degree (BSW) from Illinois State University in May 2022, carried on to the accelerated track for their master of social work (MSW), and graduated this May with a career placement as school social workers. Although each student will be placed at different high schools, we can’t help but highlight their individual outstanding effort to get to where they are today.
Hailey Rutledge grew up in Elliot, Illinois, a small town an hour away from Normal, Illinois. From the start of her college career, Hailey was sure about her journey towards a helping profession, but it wasn’t until she began learning more about social work, specifically, that solidified her decision to pursue a BSW. Soon after beginning her MSW, Hailey began her internship at the same school district she grew up in. She was astounded, and it wasn’t long before they offered her a position as a staff, upon graduation.
Hailey’s pursuit of school social work is driven by her desire to create a healthy culture within the school that helps the students improve their behavior and academics. Haley shares with us that, “As a school social worker you are working with students, their families, and collaborating with other school staff.”
Since Hailey has already been able to walk in the shoes of a social worker, through her practicum, she shares that she has “enjoyed being able to build relationships with the students and their families in order to promote a positive, safe, and welcoming learning environment for all.”
In her 6 years as a social work student, Hailey shares her wisdom with incoming students by encouraging them to focus on the most important parts of being a good social worker, which to Hailey are “the ability to effectively communicate, to respect all people and the challenges they may face, and the ability to walk alongside others during those challenges.”
“The most important to practice as a future social worker are the ability to effectively communicate, to respect all people and the challenges they may face, and the ability to walk alongside others during those challenges”
Hailey Rutledge, MSW Graduate
Teddi Hacaga, shares a similar desire to help students in their growth, but she believes that, when appropriate, challenging the individual’s beliefs can be just as beneficial as being a listening ear. Teddi shares, “a lot of high school students love to bring their emotions into problems, and they won’t give me the facts. They’ll just give me their emotional side of things.”
Although listening to their concern is often necessary, Teddi sees the value of “challenging how we think and making sure that we’re seeing things from all perspectives and not just our own.” Teddi attributes this knowledge to her mother and grandmother who have taken on the helping profession as their employment of choice and have, in part, led Teddi to carry the legacy of helping others in her own life.
Through Teddi’s undergrad internship placement, she was able to experience working with juvenile probation in McLean County, where they provided wraparound services for the kids they worked with. This led Teddi to consider the role that school social workers play in the lives of their students. Through a series of connections, Teddi was placed at Sycamore High School as an intern for her MSW, which allowed her to work with older teens; an age-range Teddi very much enjoys working with.
“They help you develop into not only the best social worker that you can be, but also a good person overall. I just give so many props to faculty and staff for how far I’ve come.”
Teddi Hacaga, MSW Graduate
As she reflects on the past 6 years at Illinois State, Teddi recognizes that the faculty and staff of the school of social work played a huge role in her success as a student. In her closing remarks, Teddi shares “I think everybody is so willing to work with you and help you grow. They help you develop into not only the best social worker that you can be, but also a good person overall. I just give so many props to faculty and staff for how far I’ve come.”
