Nicole Lovecchio, Forty Under 40 winner 2009

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Age: 30

• Program director for Wings for Kids at Chicora Elementary School
• Responsible for teaching social and emotional skills to elementary-age kids in fun, engaging ways, training part-time staff for Wings programs, and developing social and emotional curriculum. Wings is a nonprofit after-school program that serves approximately 250 kids growing up in poverty at two Charleston County elementary schools. Through Wings, kids get the life lessons they need to succeed and be happy, and they get a safe place to call home after school.

Community involvement

• Member of the Chicora Neighborhood Planning Committee for the partial magnet school grant.

Professional goal: To always feel positive about the job I am doing. I don’t want to ever dread going to work. I want to wake up excited about my day and leave work with the confidence that I gave 100% of myself.

Best career advice you’ve ever been given: Jennifer Roberts at the Charleston Department of Mental Health said, “You might not see a change in these kids today, tomorrow, or next year, but if, one day, one of them remembers something you taught them and because of that makes a good choice, you’ve made a difference in the world.” 

First job: Paper girl.