“These relationships with my peers and my teachers, are lifelong ones,” she said. “You never really leave the school. I could go there today and still see people I know and be welcomed with open arms.”

Practicing as a Physician Assistant in Oncology, Jordan Tolstoi deals with high emotions every day, providing a nurturing and reassuring presence. She learned the importance of that comforting environment at a young age, during her time at Red Oaks. With a class of fewer than ten children, the school felt like a family where teachers fostered rich relationships and a sense of belonging. So much so, that Jordan returned to Red Oaks to work in the after school program while she herself attended high school at Morristown-Beard School. In college she pursued her desire to help and nurture others, earning her BS in Social Work at University of Vermont, then going on to University of New England to become a Physician Assistant. In between studying and snowboarding, Jordan volunteered at a local hospital on Pediatric Oncology, parlaying her work with children at Red Oaks into valuable career experience.

Today, Jordan focuses Thoracic Oncology, treating lung cancer, as well as breast cancer and some melanoma. As she treats patients, attends conferences and follows the latest research and developments in cancer treatment, Jordan still carries with her the connections and experiences of Red Oaks. “These relationships with my peers and my teachers, are lifelong ones,” she said. “You never really leave the school. I could go there today and still see people I know and be welcomed with open arms.”