Meteorologist, Western Mass News; Age 32; Education: BS, Western Connecticut State University

Jacob Wycoff

For the past three years, Wycoff has been the evening meteorologist with Western Mass News in Springfield. He produces an award-winning segment called “10 Towns in 10 Days,” where he visits local towns to take in the sights and sounds. Wycoff got bit by the weather bug in 1993 during the Storm of the Century. A few years later, Twister was released and solidified his dream to become a weatherman. He is a dedicated husband and proud father, and enjoys giving back to the community through various organizations.

What did you want to be when you grew up? A meteorologist! I’m lucky to have parents and teachers who helped me reach my childhood goal.

How do you define success? The ultimate success in life will be for my daughter to grow up and say I was a great dad. Everything else would be icing on the cake.

What three words best describe you? Caring, funny, loyal.

Who has been your best mentor, and why? I have multiple mentors, mainly from my internship days. Geoff Fox, Bob Ryan, and Vytas Reid were instrumental in helping me shake the nerves and learn the science of TV weather.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? To live my values every day. It’s also kinda important to get my weather forecast correct.

What are you passionate about? Because of my job, I’ve been able to reach a lot of youngsters through school visits. I look to inspire kids to be whatever they want to be in life, but especially the STEM fields.

What fictional character do you relate to most, and why? Charlie Brown. We both have the same hairline.

Whom do you look up to, and why? I look up to my wife, Sujata, a chemistry teacher turned journalist. She’s someone who epitomizes hard work and dedication. She wasn’t afraid to follow her passion of journalism after being a teacher for six years.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? St. Francis of Assisi. He’s been a role model of sorts, so much so that I named my daughter in his honor. He gave up worldly goods and lived very simply.

Photography by Leah Martin Photography

Director of Kehillah, Springfield Jewish Community Center; Age 26 Education: BS, Springfield College; MS, Bay Path University

Bethany Young

Young grew up in Upstate New York with two older sisters and an older brother. She earned her undergraduate degree at Springfield College, where she ran on the track and field team. After graduation, she began working at the Springfield Jewish Community Center, and through Kehillah, a JCC program that offers programs for individuals with special needs, her eyes were opened to a special population of people with different abilities. Young is currently working toward her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis with an eye on becoming a board-certified behavior analyst. She loves spending time with friends, playing ‘name that tune,’ sweets, and learning.

What did you want to be when you grew up? My first career choice when I was really little was to be a brown bird like the ones in my backyard. My family likes to remind me of that often. I contemplated being a pharmacist, a teacher, and an athletic trainer. The one desired career that has remained a constant for me is to be a hospice nurse.

How do you define success? Success is putting a smile on someone’s face without them telling you they needed it.

Who has been your best mentor, and why? I am incredibly fortunate to have met several beautiful, fierce, and strong people in my life that have lent me their guidance. I’ve learned so much from them all and continue to be inspired by their merits.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? To not press ‘snooze’ one more time.

What goals have you set for yourself? I hope to make my parents proud, my siblings feel loved, and my friends feel confident in what they are. I also want to better my community by giving as much of myself as I can to it. My community includes my family, friends, career, and geographical location. I hope to make a difference that lasts over time.

Whom do you look up to? There are no better people, or parents, than my mom and dad. Those two are my best (and favorite) role models.

Photography by Leah Martin Photography