Kanawha County Schools honors educators, staff and students at board meeting

The Kanawha County Schools Board of Education used its May 14 meeting to recognize a slate of district honorees and to hear a student leadership update.

Among the recognitions, the board named Shannon Tweety principal of the year for Horseman Middle School and honored Stephanie Elkins as Teacher of the Year; Kenneth Lacy, a custodian at St. Albins High School, received service person of the year; Emily Patterson was recognized as Counselor of the Year at Overbrook; and Cassie (identified in the transcript as Cassie/Cassie Lara) — introduced as a secondary English curriculum specialist — was named Educator of the Year.

"This is my 27th year," the educator of the year told the board while accepting the honor, describing the work of supporting teachers and visiting secondary schools across the district. Several board members and students shared anecdotes about honorees' relationships with students and commitment to instruction.

The meeting also recognized middle‑school students who earned the 2026 Knights of the Golden Horseshoe distinction and a wide roster of elementary teachers for the third nine‑week period. Blake Levit, co‑president of the district’s newly formed student leadership team, summarized the team’s first‑year efforts: district‑wide feedback collected via a Google form (roughly 400 elementary/middle and 200 high‑school responses reported), a "friendship project" in collaboration with special education staff, expansion of resource closets to help students with supplies and hygiene items, a countywide community service day and plans to expand recognition programs and spirit events next year.

Board members said they appreciated the presentations and congratulated honorees and student leaders before moving into business items.