Irmo, SC 04/27/2021- Lexington-Richland School District Five has named finalists for its 2021-2022 Support Employee of the Year award. The finalists are: Theresa Hicks, a facilities supervisor at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies (The Center); Melissa Huey, a school nurse at Irmo Middle School; and Lorena Shanabrook, a nurse at Dutch Fork High School.
"Our support employees play an important role in making our schools successful. As we reflect on what has been an unprecedented year, I am truly grateful for the work of the staff throughout our district and the many positive impacts they continue to have on our success. We congratulate this year's finalists and look forward to celebrating them and announcing our winner in May."
Hicks joined School District Five 20 years ago and before taking on her role at The Center, she served as a custodian and cafeteria worker at Dutch Fork High School.
As a facilities supervisor, Hicks enjoys helping people the most. “I love my job and I am truly blessed to have this position,” Hicks said. “Every day brings a new challenge and I am continually learning to find solutions to problems and helping my staff when they need my help. As a supervisor it is my job to always lead by example and to uphold work standards clearly and consistently. I always maintain a can-do attitude so that I can adapt to changes and adjust to anything that may come my way.”
Huey has been with School District Five for a year and a half. She attended Midlands Technical College. Before joining School District Five she worked as a pediatric hematology/oncology nurse for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital.
Huey feels most comfortable serving others. “Being a school nurse is more than just ice packs and bandaids; it is a commitment to being a positive community influence, not just for my students, but for their families and my co-workers,” Huey said. “Each day, I have the opportunity to utilize my clinical, organizational, and communication skills to make a positive and potentially permanent impact on the well-being of the people I have come to love. There is great satisfaction in providing the medical care students need in the moment, but school nursing also incorporates advocating for students and providing comfort and encouragement.”
Shanabrook is in her 3rd year working for the district. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Bowling Green State University.
Shanabrook said, “What I like most about my job is having the opportunity to meet new people. At Dutch Fork High School, where there are over 1,000 students and adults in the building every day, I am given copious opportunities to meet someone new. This year, I have been working in the health room and have gotten to know some of our students who take medication daily. As the school year has progressed, students have become more willing to open up and share personal details of their lives with me. One of the greatest rewards of working in education is learning how to meet the needs of students while still forming relationships.
Support Employee of the Year winners from each school include: Sharone Wilkins (Adult Education), Catherine Brown (Academy For Success), Marion Curry (Ballentine Elementary), Theresa Hicks (Center for Advanced Technical Studies), Amanda Romer (Chapin Elementary), Kathy Rice (Dutch Fork Elementary), Donna Britt (H. E. Corley Elementary), Carrie Zier (Harbison West Elementary), Mindy Nobles (Irmo Elementary), Diana Miller (Lake Murray Elementary), Tracy Fournier (Leaphart Elementary), Diana Krause (Nursery Road Elementary), Linh Truong (Oak Pointe Elementary), Sami Blanchard (River Springs Elementary), Courtney Shuttleworth (Seven Oaks Elementary), Tracey Abercrombie (Chapin Intermediate), Maurice Manigault (CrossRoads Intermediate), Ginny Sightler (Chapin Middle), Patricia Dominick (Dutch Fork Middle), Melissa Huey (Irmo Middle), Lisa Winesett (Chapin High), Lorena Shanabrook (Dutch Fork High), Faye Golding (Irmo High), Whitney Cromer (Spring Hill High), Joseph Giles (Transportation) and Joanna Stanek (District Office).
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