2021-2022 | CLASS ACT 29
her colleagues.
“She is a safe haven,”
one parent shared, noting
her children have been
strongly supported by Ms.
Chesnut as they navigated
through family challenges
over the past two years.
“She goes above and beyond
what is required of a
school counselor.”
Ms. Chesnut joined
CCSD after a successful
career in private practice,
which followed service as a
counselor for a children’s
group home and a Naval
Base fleet and family
support center. She has
earned a master’s degree in
counseling and is a licensed
professional counselor,
nationally certified counselor
and a professionally
certified school counselor.
“Heather may be
Clayton’s only school
counselor, but you would
think it’s served by an army
of counselors with all that
she’s able to accomplish,”
Dr. Hightower said. “She
shows so much heart in
everything she does, and
inspires not only her
students and colleagues,
but has inspired me as well.
This past school year has
been among the most
challenging for all of us, but
Heather has dedicated
herself to ensuring the
children and teachers and
staff she serves know she’s
here to support them.”
The award process
begins with each Innovation
Zone (high school and
feeder elementary and
middle schools) selecting a
Counselor of the Year.
Applications from these
honorees then are considered
by a panel of retired
educators and community
leaders, who select the
CCSD Counselor of the
Year.
In addition to Ms.
Chesnut for the Cherokee
Innovation Zone (IZ), the
other Zone winners are:
Creekview IZ, Tina Word of
Macedonia ES; Etowah IZ,
Whitney Morberg of
Etowah HS; River Ridge IZ,
Alicia Davis of Mill Creek
MS; Sequoyah IZ, Taylor
Herman of Dean Rusk MS;
and Woodstock IZ, Jennifer
Farlow of Woodstock MS.
The Counselor of the
Year Awards are sponsored
by Credit Union of Georgia.
Media Specialist of the
Year: Amanda Graves,
E.T. Booth Middle
School
E.T. Booth Middle
School media specialist
Amanda Graves doesn’t
wait for students to visit
her library.
She dons a biker vest
and peddles a custom
tricycle down the school’s
halls to deliver books to
them as the “Book Biker.”
She stocks a vending
machine inside the school
with books, instead of
snacks, to feed their hunger
for knowledge. She fills a
Little Free Lending Library
on the school’s campus
with books they can borrow
at any hour. She surprises
them by appearing in
costume – an inflatable T.
Rex among the most
memorable – to remind
them of books’ power to
spark imagination and joy.
“She is one of the most
creative individuals I have
had the pleasure of working
with,” Principal Todd
Sharrock said. “There is
never a dull moment with
Mrs. Graves at the helm.”
Her incredible enthusiasm
for literacy and dedication
to the learning of her
students and colleagues
alike is why she was selected
as the Cherokee County
School District’s 2021
Media Specialist of the
Year.
“Amanda is a dreamer
and a doer,” Dr. Hightower
said. “She not only embeds
creativity in all she does,
but she also backs it up
with knowledge gained
from her years of experience
and studies in her
field. This honor comes as
no surprise to me, as it is
much deserved and overdue.
Amanda already
represents our school
district at the State level
through her role on the
Georgia Library Media
CCSD Counselor of the Year Heather Chesnut of Clayton ES,
congratulated by Superintendent Dr. Brian Hightower.
CCSD Media Specialist of the Year Amanda Graves, congratulated
by Principal Todd Sharrock.
Continued on Page 40