Jan Henrick

William Butler Yeats once said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” As a coach and counselor in the Hillsborough County School System, Jan Henrick embodied that belief, igniting sparks of confidence, hope, and direction in her students. For her, guiding young people wasn’t a job; it was a privilege.

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Even as her own life was drawing to a close, Jan’s commitment to her students never wavered. In those final days, she and her husband, Kevin, created a foundation to ensure that her impact would continue long after she was gone. From that vision, the Jan Henrick Achievement Award was born.

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Two decades later, the award still honors students from three local high schools whose lives have been transformed proof that Jan’s light is still burning strong.