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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – As another successful school year in Shelby County draws to a close, staff members from around the county’s various schools joined together to celebrate many outstanding individuals as the 2024-2025 Shelby County Support Persons of the Year on Thursday, May 1.

The awards were handed out across eight categories to staff members that work behind the scenes to ensure that each school day operates in a smooth and efficient manner, bettering the educational environment for students throughout the academic year.

In the 16th year of the awards, the 2024-2025 Overall Support Person of the Year was named as Kathryn Wright, a paraprofessional from Calera Intermediate School. She was also named as the winner of the Instructional category as well.

Wright, who serves as a special education teacher on the third grade team at CIS, is in her sixth year with the school system, and while she has not always been in the educational field, she feels she always knew that this job was where she was supposed to be.

“I always wanted to be a special education teacher,” Wright said. “It doesn’t even feel like work to come and to make an impact on (the students’) lives. I love the relationships that you build and watching them meet their goals and just watching them grow.”

Erica Hogge, assistant principal at Calera Intermediate School, expressed her gratitude for all that Wright does each day, describing her as a teacher and a role model for others to look at and someone who is exemplary in her field.

“She’s the one you go to when you need advice on how to handle students and who other (paraprofessionals) look up to and strive to be like every day,” Hogge said.

Hogge also discussed how Wright is excellent at handling any kind of situation, whether it be difficult or easy, making the most of getting to work with her students.

“She doesn’t get enough credit for what she does,” Hogge said. “She is just one of those people who puts her head down and does the job and takes on any situation and faces it head on, no matter if that situation is a happy situation or a difficult situation. She is always looking for what’s best for students and that drives what she does every single day.”

Wright enjoys the excitement of her job, but as she says, seeing the growth and development of her students is the biggest reason she continues to get up with a smile as she heads for work.

“Every day is different,” Wright said. “That keeps it exciting and it’s just neat to see how you have all these kids and all of them have different needs and they’re all still so special. Then to watch them grow from third grade to fifth grade, and then you have to say goodbye and that stinks. So yeah, that’s my ‘why.’”

The winner of Accounting was Whitney Warren of Oak Mountain Elementary School. Principal Jan Curtis described Warren as a teacher who is very helpful each day and has a genuine gentle passion for her job.

“Whitney is so kind, very friendly,” Curtis said. “She is so helpful to everyone, to students, to family, to teachers, and everything she does is with this gentle, sweet smile, always looking for ways to help people and really to make their days easier and brighter.” 

Warren finds joy in making everyone’s world better, always looking for ways to directly or indirectly help students to have the best educational experience possible. 

“I love kids, but also, I like to help people,” Warren said. “When I help teachers, I know I’m directly helping students. If I can help the teacher, I can help the student. If I can help the custodian get what they need, then they can help the students. If I can help CNP, they’re helping students every day. Any little way that I can help someone, I know it’s directly affecting the students.”

The Custodial winner was Cecil Martin from Inverness Elementary School, who according to assistant principal Erin Moody, never seems to have a day that is less than extraordinary.

“I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen Mr. Cecil have a bad day,” Moody said. “He does love to do his job and go unrecognized, but he really deserves the most recognition.”

Martin loves to go behind the scenes when nobody is looking to do his job and make IES spotless, but when he sees the students happy, that is what he feels makes his job that much more enjoyable.

“The bonus part comes in with just a kid smiling,” Martin said. “You can tell the kids, especially being their first year here and everything, if they’re shy and everything. You have to say, ‘I say good morning to every kid that I see.’”

The Food Services award winner was Tear Lee of Calera Elementary School. Principal Shannon Montgomery sees the true love that Lee has for the kids each day and enjoys how hard she works to give the kids the best meals possible.

“Tear is wonderful,” Montgomery said. “She is such a joy. She is one of the most hardworking ladies that I know, and I love the fact that she just loves our kids.”

When she sees all of the students come into the lunch room, Lee views them as her own kids, striving to love on them no matter what mood they are in when she sees their faces.

“I love kids,” Lee said. “I don’t have any myself, so all of these kids are my kids. They just come up to me and hug me. Other than that, I just love the smaller kids. Some of them have, you know, when they come in the morning time, they’re crying because they want to stay with their mama. Sometimes I tell them, ‘Well you’re with me now. I can love on you just like your mama can.’”

The Maintenance winner was Nick Wells of Shelby County High School. Being an alumnus of SCHS, Wells has seen the change that has been enacted within the school, but knows the cause and reason for his job is still the same, and always has been.

“We live in a totally different world than I came through this school in,” Wells said. “The cause is always the same. We still all play a part, no matter your job title. Whatever we do, we should do it to the best of our abilities so that everybody sees that it takes everybody to make it work.”

According to principal Kyle Dudley, the positivity and determination that Wells possesses makes him great at his job as he looks to get everything in tip-top shape for the school to be running efficiently. 

“You’re always going to hear him laughing, smile on his face, positive attitude—just someone that’s great to have in the building,” Dudley said. “He does everything around here. There is nothing that is beyond his expertise and scope, and if he doesn’t know, he’s going to find out for you as quickly as possible.

The Nursing award was given to Laura Blackburn of Mt. Laurel Elementary School. As a former employee of Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Blackburn’s work with children matches her personality. As she says, she has never grown up.

“I’m a big kid at heart,” Blackburn said. “Being around kids just gives me a lot more energy and it makes me feel happy. They like to be silly and have fun and they’re always so sweet. With elementary school kids, you just never know sometimes. It’s always an adventure.”

Principal Tina Neighbors makes a point to note that Neighbors is very valuable to the school, bringing a lot to the environment that she steps into each day.

“She brings a lot to the school because she loves children,” Neighbors said. “You can hear her throughout the day, listening to children, trying to determine the next course of action for them…She’s just added so much to our school.”

The Secretarial winner of the year was Penny Walker, and for principal Desaree Jackson, she has been a blessing to the school and all of the families that she has come across.

“Penny is so nurturing,” Jackson said. “When parents come in and they’re upset or they don’t know how to fill out a form or how to do something online or get access to something, she’s like ‘Come in, sit down, sit right here at my table, and I’ll help you,’”

Walker loves being able to help the numerous parents that she sees in any way possible, giving them the resources they need to be able to do something or answer their questions.

“I love working with students and parents,” Walker said. “I love just being in the community and being that face that greets them when they come into the community and giving them resources that they need to feel at home and feel successful.

Sasha Johns, a bus driver for Shelby Elementary School, was awarded as the Transportation winner. For her, the job that she holds for the school is perfect, and she would not have it any other way.

“I get up very early, because I need a good hour of coffee and Jesus before I talk to people,” Johns said. “I pick up my first kid at about 6:24 (a.m.) and we’re back at the school bby 7:15.”

For principal Stacy Aderholt, she sees the passion that Johns puts into her job, noticing how she strives to make not only the students’ mornings and afternoons better, but their entire lives as well.

“She loves her students and wants them to have successful lives,” Aderholt said. “She cares about their futures and ways that she might can help them. She’s just a blessing, she really is.”

All of the winners were honored by the Shelby County Schools Board of Education for the hard work that they have put in during the school year, and they now will look forward to doing the same in the future of their employment.