Meet our EPIC leader Tracey!

“My name is Tracey Ardizzone-Droesch.  I started volunteering at GiGi’s Playhouse in 2018, after my daughter, Catherine, went to a Teen-Tastic program with her key club at her high school.  She loved it so much and, since we both enjoy volunteering so much, we thought it would be a great thing that we could do together.  After coming once together, we were hooked.  Volunteering at GiGi’s brought me back to a time when I was a young child and my church put on a summer camp for kids in the Sparrow program, many of whom had Down syndrome.  I loved and enjoyed playing with all the children then and I continue to love all the time I spend at GiGi’s.

I have worked at Stagg High School for the past 9 years as an Academic Mentor.  I decided in 2020 that I should expand my education to not only hold a Masters in School Counseling, but to also obtain a Masters in Social Work.  My internship here at GiGi’s Playhouse is the last step I need to complete my Master’s degree in August.  I am blessed to get to do my internship at my “happy place,” GiGi’s.  My task is to create a program of enrichment for the adults at GiGi’s.  I am very excited to spend my summer here and work with all these amazing participants.”