Kendra Witt-Doyle has always known that education plays a key role in the health of Idaho’s children and their families. But Jackie Yarbrough has helped Witt-Doyle take that understanding to an entirely new level.

Both women work for the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health. The nonprofit organization was established in 2001 as a way for Blue Cross of Idaho to give back to the state.

“When Jackie came on board about three years ago we had an interest in expanding our work in education, understanding that education is such a key driver and predicter of health outcomes,” said Witt-Doyle, the foundation’s executive director. “Jackie really built that focus area. … She is just such a trusted partner and advocate for the schools. Her passion just shows through so much.”

Yarbrough was hired as a senior program officer at the foundation, and she was given the role of leading its focus on education. It’s a role she has embraced.

“I’m a builder, and this has been a great fit for me,” Yarbrough said. “I think the work in our education sector is so important … and it takes all of us to help kids and families succeed.”

Yarbrough’s impact on education

Randy Jensen, superintendent of the American Falls School District, said he has seen firsthand the impact that Yarbrough has made on Idaho’s education system.

“She really is amazing,” Jensen said. “She was helpful with our preschool collaborative. The Blue Cross Foundation, in coordination with the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, has really helped us with our preschool model. It’s helped a lot of kids, and we’ve seen some significant results.

“We’ve had our collaborative active now for four years. When we started our kids were coming into kindergarten scoring about 19% efficient on the fall Idaho reading indicator. Every year since then it’s gone up a little bit, and this year it’s made its biggest jump to where it’s at 50%. That’s a real huge increase in helping kids get ready for school.”

Rob Sauer has also worked with Yarbrough in his role as the superintendent of the Homedale School District.

“In this arena, she’s a game-changer,” Sauer said. “We would not have been able to start our preschool program without her input, guidance and support (including financial support from the Blue Cross Foundation).”

Yarbrough said hearing positive feedback from two of Idaho’s school districts confirms her belief in the foundation’s goals.

“I was born and raised in Idaho, and I grew up in a small town, so I understand the needs of our rural communities and our rural education systems,” Yarbrough said. “Just knowing where both (districts) started, and that they’re already seeing the results of positive change, I think that’s fantastic.”

Listening and learning

Witt-Doyle said when she hired Yarbrough she was impressed by her background and how each element of Yarbrough’s prior career would help her in her role at the Blue Cross Foundation.

“Being a social worker, working in the education space, all of her years working in nonprofit (including 12 years at Idaho Food Bank) … it was just a cool blend that has allowed her to do this work in education,” Witt-Doyle said.

But Yarbrough made a point of not promising too much, too early.

“I think one of our key values here in making an impact is we have to listen and understand first,” Witt-Doyle said. “That came out loud and clear with Jackie. Even when we were in the hiring process she said, ‘I don’t want to make too many predictions of what I would build because I would want to start by listening and understanding first.’

“Then she came back to us and said, ‘Man, community schools, hands down, is where we need to be going.’ And she was also passionate about behavioral health. She just said, ‘We have to help.’”

Yarbrough has followed through on her vision.

“We have community schools happening all across Idaho now,” she said. “That wasn’t the case even three years ago. … Through the foundation, we’ve tried to partner with community schools as a holistic approach to meet the needs of children and their families, and giving schools the resources they need.”

Yarbrough said she’s a big fan of the community school model because of its ability to address the needs of a specific community’s population.

“The schools use assessments that engage kids and families to identify what kinds of things they’d like to have available for their kiddo and for the family through the education sector,” Yarbrough said.

Building relationships, working together

Whether it’s been through community schools, preschool programs or behavioral health initiatives, Yarbrough said her role at the foundation has mostly been about building relationships with schools and their districts and then working together.

“I’m a connector by nature,” Yarbrough said. “So, it’s been very natural for me, and I’ve been able to get out and talk to local superintendents and try to build relationships and let them know that we care.”

As a result, Witt-Doyle said Yarbrough has given Idaho’s Blue Cross Foundation a unique emphasis on education in the state.

“I think we’re definitely innovative with how we approach the importance of education,” Witt-Doyle said. “Certainly, other Blue Cross Blue Shield foundations understand that education plays a key role in communities’ health care … but I’m not sure they’re all committed partners to the extent that we are.”

And does Yarbrough deserve some of the credit for that?

“Absolutely,” Witt-Doyle said. “It’s all her.”