Culture & Community | Arts & Culture | New Haven Public Schools | Youth Arts Journalism Initiative | New Haven Academy
Tracie Ormond: "You know, not all people believe servitude has its place, but it does." Juliette Lao Photo.
On a regular weekday during the school year, you'll find Tracie Ormond in the main office at New Haven Academy, where she is often the first face students see. But by night, Ormond has begun to grow her interest in giving back, one meticulously planned party and event at a time.
Ormond is the founder of "How Much Fun Would You Like To Have?" a new event planning company that grew out of her love for organizing in the community. This year, she has formally gone into business, with a mission to officially bring more fun to New Haven and its surrounding towns.
"I really enjoy serving people,” she said. “You know, not all people believe servitude has its place, but it does. In order to even desire a thing right and understand what it takes to acquire that desire is the point of view you don’t really analyze. If a person is able to see someone else’s point of view and be able to have some sympathy and some empathy looking at it from another point of view will be able to serve well."
Born in Ayden, North Carolina and raised between North Carolina and Hamden, Ormond has always taken a community-oriented approach to her work. After arriving in Hamden as a third grader, she became involved in the Girl Scouts of Connecticut. It was there that she enrolled in their double dutch program, learned to focus, and became a “team player,” she said. She also practiced it at home, with a twin sister, Stacy Ormond Samuel, who taught her to listen to the specific needs of every person.
When she turned 19, Ormond started her first job as a double dutch coordinator with the Girl Scouts of Connecticut (the program, called “ Double Dutch Double Fun,” appears to have since been discontinued). It fostered her love for engaging with youth. Outside of work, she also nurtured that passion for giving back within her church, where she joined volunteer efforts to give out food and work with the elderly.
When she started looking for permanent work with young people, the New Haven Public Schools seemed like a perfect fit. And it was: this fall will mark her 28th year working in the district.
Meanwhile, she also became a doting mom to two sons, Jacarie and Jaylyn. When they were young, Ormond knew she would have to figure out their different personalities in order to keep them entertained, she said. As she created events for her two kids, her friends and neighbors took note. It led to casual event planning for her family, neighbors and for her church community.
At some point, Ormond realized that if she could plan events for friends and family, “I could most definitely offer those services for any one who seeks it.” She decided to go into business by herself, creating an LLC and working alongside the Connecticut Women’s Business Development Council. She has now officially been in business for a year and a half.
The name was inspired by her two children, whom she described as “walking on the beat of their own drum.” Last May, Jacarie graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a business administration degree. With an interest in graphic design, which he is now pursuing in graduate school, he created her logo, and is now in the process of creating her business website.
Meanwhile, Jaylyn is pursuing a business degree at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. Ormond said she feels blessed and happy to have her sons working alongside her as she creates this family-run business.
She also sees the business as a new "branch" or extension of her day job as an administrative assistant at New Haven Academy, a position she has held for nine years. As a veteran of the New Haven public schools—Ormond has been at NHA for nine years but with the district for over 27—she assists with communication, answering calls, filing records, and finding “who needs what and who has done what."
“I really enjoy serving people,” she said. “I’m thankful I’m able to do my job at ease, it’s like second nature.”
Asked about the business, New Haven Academy principals Greg Baldwin and Meredith Gavrin said that she embodies the spirit of the school in everything she does, and are excited for her new venture. Gavrin said that her energy makes a difference in the space, particularly because she is the first face students see each day. She pointed to the number of students who seek her out for support, because they feel safe with her.
“[She is an] incredible spokesperson for New Haven Academy,” Baldwin said in a recent interview with the Arts Paper. “She is the first face and voice people see and hear, making everyone feel welcomed and comfortable. And [she is] an incredible mentor and support person for so many different students and staff across the school.”
That love for Ormond extends among members of her growing client base. Certified nursing assistant Izane Gist remembered working with Ormond earlier this year, when she was having a party to celebrate her first child. When she and Ormond got to the venue they’d booked, they found the doors locked, and the venue unresponsive. Gist remembered watching Ormond snap into action, and reshape the event on the fly.
“Some things happen for a reason,” Gist remembered Ormond telling her. “It's not the end of the world although it feels like a disaster right now.” Gist moved the party to her home, and it went off without a hitch. She has since booked Ormond for other events.
As she builds the business, Ormond said she would like to see it become a self-sufficient operation with faithful clientele. In an ideal world, she said, the business would help support her as she moves into retirement. Her greatest aspiration, however, is to provide more opportunities for young people as a way to give back to a younger generation. She added that she loves seeing New Haven Academy alumni come back to the school, to see how they’ve succeeded since moving on.
“I would employ aid to any and all youngsters in my immediate environment and would like for them to grow and mature and develop in their wings so they can fly high in the sky for me,” she said.
“I think everyone at some point all along their journey should be celebrated,” she added. “I find enjoyment in doing that I think that is the key component that connects all my events of celebration is happening ”
This article comes from the 2023 Cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative. Juliette Lao is a recent graduate of New Haven Academy and a rising freshman at the University of Connecticut.