The Tinsley Team Standout Student of The Month: Tessa Charland

For most seventh graders, weekends are for sports, hanging out with friends, or catching up on sleep. But for Tessa, weekends hold a different, deeper purpose. Every week, she travels to North Billerica to visit her best friend and big sister, Emma.
 
Emma, now 20, resides at New England Pediatric Care (NEPC), a specialized residential and skilled nursing facility supporting children and young adults with complex medical and developmental needs. NEPC provides round-the-clock medical care, therapeutic services, education, and a compassionate community for medically fragile individuals who require long-term, comprehensive support.
 
Before moving to NEPC, Emma attended Deerfield Elementary and later Westwood High School. As her medical needs became more complex, her parents, Tracie and Scott, made the difficult decision together with her medical team at Boston Children’s Hospital and Westwood educators to transition her to NEPC, where she could receive the higher level of care she required while continuing her education. Although her sister, Tessa, and the rest of the family miss having Emma at home, they all know in their hearts that NEPC is the best place for Emma’s health, stability and continued growth.
 
Tessa has seen firsthand how the facility has become a second home. Watching the nurses and staff care for Emma, and seeing Emma surrounded by peers, sparked a realization in Tessa. She didn’t just want to visit; she wanted to make a difference.
 
“I’m excited to help them and get them all gifts because I’m very grateful for it,” Tessa shares. “They take such good care of my sister.”
 
Driven by gratitude, Tessa launched a holiday fundraiser to fill the NEPC recreation room, a hub of joy where residents gather, with specialized toys and activities. These aren’t just random gifts; they are carefully curated by a sister who understands exactly what brings joy to this unique community.
 
Working with her mom, Tracie, and the NEPC social work team, Tessa built a wish list that prioritizes accessibility and sensory engagement. The bins overflowing in their living room are filled with “Big Uno” cards that are easier for residents to see, adaptive switch toys that allow children with limited mobility to activate sounds and movements, and soothing jellyfish light projectors.
 
One of Tessa’s favorite additions to the list is the “Toniebox,” an audio system that plays stories and songs without screens.
 
“You put these little characters on top, and it tells you stories like The Little Mermaid or Daniel Tiger,” Tessa explains with excitement. “So you don’t have to read; it just reads it for you.”
 
For Tessa, the drive is simple: community. When asked why she wanted to support the other residents, her answer was profound in its simplicity.
 
“Because they’re Emma’s friends,” Tessa says. “And they make her happy.”
 
Tracie watches her daughter’s efforts with immense pride.
 
“It’s not something you’d typically expect from a seventh grader,” she notes. “I love seeing her light up whenever she sees these kids with her sister. Everyone needs friends, especially Emma.”
 
This holiday season, when Tessa and her family deliver those bins to North Billerica, they aren’t just delivering toys. They are delivering a message of inclusion and love, ensuring that Emma and her friends at NEPC know they are seen, celebrated, and cherished. Through her endearing efforts, Tessa has proven that while she may be the younger sister, her heart is big enough to embrace a whole community.
 
Congratulations to Tessa for being this month’s Standout Student! Nominate a future Tinsley Team Standout Student of the Month by emailing Diana Bezdedeanu at dbezdedeanu@bestversionmedia.com and if you’d like to give back to your community and sponsor a regular feature in Westwood Living, contact Tom Leyden at tleyden@bestversionmedia.com