Jason Zimmerman gives back to community that has embraced him

A conversation with Jason Zimmerman does not get too far along before it is peppered frequently with the word “community.”

Zimmerman is the director of athletics and student activities for the Northwestern Lehigh School District, comprising Heidelberg, Lowhill, Lynn and Weisenberg townships in the extreme northwest area of Lehigh County.

Zimmerman lives in the home along Route 309 where he grew up.

“I’m where I’m at in life because of this community,” Zimmerman asserts. “If I can give back a small portion of what I’ve been given, that’s what I want to do.”

Zimmerman lost his father, an assistant principal in the Parkland School District, when he was a teenager.

“This community rallied around me and supported me through that. They were there to give me a kick in the pants when I needed it and to lift me up when that was appropriate,” Zimmerman remembers.

“The way people support their neighbors in this community is almost unbelievable - especially these days,” Zimmerman said.

An active school system professional and a diverse community volunteer, Zimmerman has been a cheerleader for the Northwestern Lehigh School District his whole life.

“What you see in Jason is 100-percent genuine,” Northwestern Lehigh High School Principal Aileen Yadush said. “He just loves being a Northwestern ‘Tiger’,” she said, referring to the school district mascot.

Zimmerman has been giving back to his community in a large way since Gov. Tom Wolf closed Pennsylvania schools and issued a stay-at-home order.

“Before all this happened,” Zimmerman said, “I’d been able to participate in Northwestern’s opening exercises. Since I was a student, and through the decades, we start our day with the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, followed by a moment of silence.”

That ceremony at the high school was sent to all classrooms in a student-produced morning program broadcast with closed-circuit TV technology.

When the pandemic shutdown occurred, Zimmerman was looking for a way to provide the community with some sense of continuity and a rollback to “simpler times.”

After educating himself on video technology on the Internet, Zimmerman set out with his two sons, Eli and Brady, as his smartphone video technicians.

Zimmerman was determined to seek out different flagpoles daily throughout the school district to lead the pledge and a moment of silence.

With the help of his wife, Nicole, Zimmerman amended a segment of inspirational or humorous video in the production.

He also visited small businesses in the community as the broadcast location, to show support for the business and to encourage community patronage. At each business, an American flag was always part of the scene.

“During this time of uncertainty, Jason has been able to bring some sense of normalcy to people’s lives,” Northwestern Lehigh School District Superintendent Jennifer Holman said. “Inspiration and patriotism in Jason’s video productions have helped to unite us in a common cause.”

Holman said positive comments on the videos have been coming in from student alumni and supporters across the country. One day’s feedback recorded 2,000 views of a segment on Facebook.

Zimmerman’s community activities are not limited to those associated with his school position.

For many years, he has been active as a baseball and football coach for the Northwestern Youth Athletic Association. He is quick to emphasize the importance of sports in building character in his community’s youth.

“You chose your classes and read a lot of books, but there comes a time when you have to apply what you’ve learned in real-life situations,” Zimmerman said. “That’s what sports does for you. It teaches you to be on your toes and work as a team. You find yourself in different situations, and you must react and sort it out in real time.

“That’s what sports has given me. Probably 95 percent of what I use in my job today, I learned on a sports field or court,” he said.

Zimmerman is also a volunteer with the Germansville Fire Department, where he is an engine driver.

Germansville Fire Department Chief Jay Scheffler sees Zimmerman’s service as a reflection of his community spirit.

“Jason understands the need for community volunteerism,” Scheffler said. “Without volunteers, a community just doesn’t work.”

Zimmerman sums up his love for his community simply: “It’s been awesome to live here. I would not want to raise my kids anywhere else. When push comes to shove, we rally together and take care of our own.”