Administrative assistant Stephanie Slaughter won the staff member of the year award. Slaughter just wants to bring positive energy and happiness to the school. (Credit to Madelyn Brewer)

Each year, a staff member at FHN has the chance to receive the “support staff of the year” award. There are many supporting staff that have the chance to win this award here at our school. This year, administrative assistant Stephanie Slaughter has been awarded with the honor. Overall, Slaughter feels very proud to be able to have this award.

“I felt shocked, but also very honored that I won,” Slaughter said.

Slaughter works for Erin Steep, Monica Perry and Brett Bevill in the main office. Slaughter is tasked with assisting the staff in the main office. She is driven by bringing positive energy into the school and office environment. Slaughter is mostly dedicated to working hard everyday while giving anyone who comes into the office a welcoming smile.

“I try to do my job well, and to mostly treat everybody who comes into the office well and to do a good job on everything I’m working on,” said Slaughter.

Teacher of the year Jordyn Kiel hands out awards to students on the FHN photo staff. (Credit to Madelyn Brewer)

Each year, FHN staff vote to honor one teacher as the “teacher of the year”. This year, the award went to Journalism teacher Jordyn Kiel.

“I was really positively impacted by so many of my teachers growing up,” Kiel said. “I felt like it was kind of ingrained in me.”

After she graduated from FHN, it didn’t take Kiel long to discover her true calling: education. She always puts her best foot forward in any project she does and never hesitates to lend a helping hand to students and colleagues who are struggling.

“I think it’s just important to show kindness and respect, to be open-minded and welcoming to every person that you encounter on a daily basis,” Kiel said. “I try to just be a face of goodness in the hallways or in my classroom.”

Kiel encourages more people to go into the field of education, especially now that the demand for teachers is increasing.

“It’s the best job in the whole world,” Kiel said. “It’s exhausting. And it can be overwhelming. It’s unpredictable and challenging, but this is the only career I know and I can’t think of a more rewarding and special job.”