Take a Bow

Amid a difficult school year beset by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Putnam County School District turned to Palatka High and Mellon Elementary schools for its Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year.

Alexis Strickland-Tilton, a four-year agriculture teacher at Palatka High, and Jennifer Rawski, a four-year paraprofessional at Mellon Elementary, took home the top honors. Jackie Smith, an executive secretary in the district’s Human Resources Department, won District-Related Employee of the Year.

Before the festivities kicked off at the C.L. Overturf Jr. Sixth Grade Center auditorium, district board member Sandra Gilyard gave the invocation, in which she called school district employees essential workers and heroes.

Human Resources Director Tonya Whitehurst said the pandemic flipped everything upside down.

“This year, more than any other, employees deserved to be celebrated,” Whitehurst said.

Strickland-Tilton said she was shocked and humbled when her name was announced. She said the most important thing is educating and taking care of students.

The pandemic makes it difficult to teach agriculture, which is a hands-on field, she said.

“It’s inspiring to hear about all the amazing things that are happening in our school district,” Strickland-Tilton said. “At the end of the day, (the pandemic) doesn’t take away from the passion and the love we have for our students.”

Rawski has been a paraprofessional with the district for about four years. Currently a student-teacher, Rawski said she’s been training online to become a full-time teacher and carrying out her duties virtually this school year.

“I don’t feel like I do anything super special. I’m there and I love my kids. I enjoy everything about working at Mellon,” Rawski said. “I think I have the best teachers and administration that have inspired me to become who I am as a student-teacher.”

Smith has been with the district for about 26 years. She said it was amazing to hear her biography being read before she was named as District-Employee of the Year.

Smith said the pandemic has been challenging, but the goal in her department is smoothing out processes and managing the employee turnover.

“We’ll keep on trucking forward,” Smith said. “It’s all for education.”

The socially-distanced audience heard from the state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year, Krista Stanley, a sixth-grade teacher from Okeechobee County. Stanley said teachers continually reach higher to establish the best practices and care for students.

“We must also focus on empowering our students so they set high expectations for themselves because when they reach higher, anything is possible,” Stanley said.

When he spoke earlier in the ceremony, Superintendent Rick Surrency listed teachers who have helped him throughout his lifetime. He said teachers and other employees taught him how to be courteous, set goals and accept others, he said.

This year’s crop of nominees has the ability to influence future generations and has displayed faith, initiative and commitment.

“You gave up yourself to the district, the schools, the students and our community,” Surrency said. “Tonight is your night to shine.”

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