Shelly Thomas from Barren County Schools one of the first to receive KESSP award

GLASGOW, Ky. – A new award honoring Kentucky school support staff has recently surfaced, and one of the first recipients happens to be from a school district in South Central Kentucky.

Shelly Thomas is the youth service center coordinator for the Barren County School District. She is one of the first to receive the Kentucky education support staff professional award. The other is Robert Walker from the Harrison County Schools.

Thomas received this award during a virtual ceremony on Jan. 19. Governor Andy Beshear, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and Commissioner of education Jason Glass were also in attendance.

This award seeks to highlight school support staff including positions like bus drivers, janitors, cafeteria workers, and school counselors. Thomas says she wouldn’t be here without the rest of her barren county family.

“For everybody that’s in any role of service, they do it because there’s a lot of joy that goes along with that. Service has its own rewards, it’s a very fulfilling position to be in,” Thomas said.

Thomas and walker will represent Kentucky in the competition for the national recognizing inspiring school employees award, to be presented this spring by the U.S Department of Education.