As the Fairmont Samara School in the South Bronx was getting ready to open for the new school year, Lorraine Burt, the school’s office manager, and other school employees noticed something unsightly—and smelly. “An incredible amount of garbage was piling up in the front of the school yard. Someone was doing demolition across the street from the school and throwing their trash in front of the school playground,” Lorraine recalled.

For three weeks, neither the school custodian nor the janitor was able to get the Department of Sanitation to remove the piles of trash outside the school. So, Lorraine chose to take matters into her own hands. “I decided to reach out to the borough president at that time, Rubén Díaz Jr., Jr. I can honestly say it was less than an hour before the NYC Sanitation came and picked up all that trash. The principal of the school was so surprised and thanked me for getting it resolved so quickly.” 

As an administrative professional at Fairmont, Lorraine’s role is to support both program and site directors regarding daily operations within the school as well as the after-school program. But she does not limit herself solely to the main responsibilities of her job. For instance, Lorraine enjoys finding resources that enhance the services Children’s Aid provides, such as collaborating with other nonprofits and community organizations within the neighborhood.

“Ms. Burt is an amazing person to work with. She goes above and beyond her duties,” said Liliana Candelario, acting program director at Fairmont. “She has a heart of gold and she puts everyone’s needs before hers.”

Liliana recalled when there was once an empty lot next to the school. It was an eyesore, but Lorraine saw an opportunity to transform the space into something beautiful for the school and community.

“Ms. Burt’s ability to connect with the right people allowed us to create a community garden and a long-lasting partnership with the realty group,” Liliana said. “Our students and families are able to plant, and harvest all the herbs and vegetables that grow in this garden. This lot would have been turned into a building, but with Ms. Burt's support, it has become the Fairmont & Samara Community Garden.”

Lorraine first joined Children’s Aid in 2011 as an after-school facilitator. Shortly after, she became an office manager. She was first inspired to pursue her career as an administrative professional by her supervisor at her first summer youth employment job, and her oldest sister, who graduated from a secretarial school.

After receiving her associate’s degree in secretarial arts from The Interboro Institute Business School in New York, Lorraine continued her education, receiving a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the College of New Rochelle and then a master’s degree in public administration from the Metropolitan College of New York.

For anyone aspiring to become an administrative professional, Lorraine’s advice is to always keep up with changing technology. “The roles of administrative professionals require us to be ready to move onto different programs designed to keep information secure, up-to-date, and accessible,” she said. “When we take the time to familiarize ourselves with new technology programs, we can stay ahead of the game.”

But that is only one aspect of her job. Lorraine also cherishes all the experiences and connections that come with working for Fairmont. “What I find most rewarding is the finished product of our efforts in bringing both school and community together—like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and our end of the school year events. When the school administration, families, and most of all the children tell us how much they enjoyed the event, it makes the challenges of bringing it all together worthwhile.”

And Lorraine’s skills and compassion have not gone unnoticed. “Her ability to connect, relate, and understand the needs of the community is what our school needs. She continues to bring the right ingredients to our team - love, and understanding. Ms. Burt has also been a role model for many of our students, families, and staff,” Liliana said. The one thing that everyone can say about Ms. Burt is that she has a huge heart and everything she does stems from how big her heart is.