More than anything, Jen Kraus will miss her daily walk home with Kenyatta ‘Yaya’ West, after the two finished a day working as paraprofessionals.  

During those walks, Kraus and West would chat and unwind, with West providing the positivity that her coworkers knew to expect from her over her 30 years working at the Duquesne City School District.  

While Kraus and West have a special relationship, West made just about everybody feel special. Coworkers and students always knew they could lean on West for advice, for positivity, and for a helping hand. Earlier this month, West retired from her job as a paraprofessional for the district.  

"She’s like a mother to me. In the district she worked very well with our kids. She took her job really seriously and tutored the kids the way they needed to be tutored and taught,” said Kraus. “She had great ideas that she would bring to her coworkers. She was a really hard worker. She was really dedicated.”  

Amongst the paraprofessionals at Duquesne City, West was recognized as one of ‘OG’s’ of the group. Paraprofessionals in the district are typically alums, and characterized by a special care for their students, coworkers, and school as a whole. West, among others, set the standard for what a Duquesne City paraprofessional is supposed to be.  

“She was a dedicated and caring member of our school community.  She knew every student by name and was always willing to lend her support wherever it was needed,” said principal Erica Slobodnik. “Her positivity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to student success made her an invaluable asset to our district.”  

Over the years, West has helped show the ropes to a number of paraprofessionals. Desiree Bluett fondly remembers West helping her in her early days with the district, eagerly lending a helping hand in whatever way that she could.  

“When I first started working here she was one of the ones who showed me around and showed me the Duquesne way and how we do things here,” said Bluett.  

“When I started here we both helped as crossing guards. She always showed you the ropes. She was always full of compliments and worked well with the students. She’s very caring. Whatever student she worked with, she treated them like they were her own child.”  

Kraus echoed those thoughts, telling a similar story about her relationship with West. In Kraus’ early times with the district, the two worked together with 7th and 8th grade students, exhausting every avenue to ensure that their students received the best education that they could.  

“She was definitely a team player for sure,” said Kraus. “She definitely showed people the ropes.”  

While West will be sorely missed by her coworkers, her memories and impact will remain. Coworkers will remember the small, funny things, like West’s propensity to dole out compliments or bundle up in an oversized coat when a little chill hits the air. Certainly they’ll remember the big things, too, in moments when they’re lending an ear or helping out a coworker, as West was eager to do.  

As the paraprofessionals throughout the building now take over as the de-facto ‘OG’s’, as West once was, they’ll do so with West in mind, modeling the example that she set.  

“Her energy was contagious,” said Bluett. “She’s definitely going to be missed.”