By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
After the lines of cars and buses had left the Highland Elementary parking lot, the founder of Helping the Hard Working, now Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd, parked her car and walked down to a to a kindergarten classroom to surprise Instructional Assistant Sandy Smith.
Save for the assembly of children in the gymnasium, it was much the same as when Byrd presented the award to two faculty members at Red Cross Elementary on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Reading the words submitted along with her nomination — which was made by Highland teacher Melissa Horn, who was absent this morning — Smith began to tear up saying she was completely surprised and overwhelmed.
Helping the Hardworking, established in 2020, is a “non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing hard-working individuals” who are often overlooked in communities throughout Barren County.
“We believe that everyone deserves to be appreciated for the hard work they put in, and our goal is to recognize and reward such individuals,” the organization’s website states. “Our unique approach involves community members nominating their peers who they believe are worthy of recognition.”
Byrd presented Smith with $200 of gift cards from local businesses, including Little Taste of Texas and Fine Arts Bistro.
“I’ve never won anything to this extent,” Smith said. “Yesterday I won bingo and I thought that was the greatest thing ever…this is amazing.”
“I’ve never had a gift this big. I’m lost for words; I really am,” she added.
According to words read by Byrd, Smith serves as an instructional assistant during the school year, a cafeteria worker in the summertime, cleaning houses and mowing lawns. Vickie Smith, a retired teacher who was subbing for Horn, said there were few people more “deserving then Smith” calling her “awesome.”
“In so many ways they are the backbone of our school,” said Highland Principal Philip West. “Ms. Smith and all our, I call them staffulty, faculty and staff, all do a thousand little things a day that end up being really big things. They change kids’ lives and they think they’re just grading a paper, putting something in a backpack or calling a parent…but what they’re really doing is changing lives. So we really appreciate them.”
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