Shellie Williams realized her calling was to work with children from early on in her career, starting out at a childcare center in 2000. Now, she has been a Full-Service Community Schools Coordinator at Letcher County Central High School for two years.
“There’s no place like Letcher County,” Williams said, calling to mind her hometown. “Everybody is here for each other, and that, to me, really means something.”
Williams works out of the vocational school at LCCHS, with much of her work focused on college and career readiness. She is currently piloting a co-op program that will expand opportunities for students to receive on the job training. She also works with Peer Forward, a group of LCCHS seniors that help fellow students with things like filling out the FAFSA and college applications.
A challenge Williams has seen in her work is low attendance, especially after closures and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Eastern Kentucky floods of 2022.
“Just as students were getting back to normal, the floods came and interrupted their routine again,” Williams said, citing the historic devastation that impacted the region in July of 2022.
While Williams says there has been an outpouring of support from grants and the community since the floods, there is an ongoing need for mental recovery, especially for students.
One tool Williams is using to address attendance is Check & Connect, a student engagement model that connects students with a trained mentor. Check & Connect allows Williams to reach students on a personal level and identify problem-solving pathways.
“I have worked with children my whole life and I have seen so much. I’ve seen so many parents that needed so much help. To be on this end of that job, where I am actually able to find people the help that they need and do something about it, that is just amazing to me,” Williams said. “When you can see the numbers change, and know that you’ve done something, or if a student tells me I’ve made a difference, that, to me, is all I need.”
Williams’ students have also been part of flood recovery efforts, specifically concerning housing, as part of their vocational training. LCCHS has partnered with Homes, Inc., with students helping to rebuild homes throughout the summer with the potential of a job offer after graduation.
It’s clear that Williams’ love for her community and working with young people are making a difference in Letcher County, a job that she finds immensely rewarding. Williams credits the whole FSCS team for the program’s success.
“None of what I do could be accomplished without the support of my Jenkins/Letcher FSCS Team,” Williams said. “We work together consistently to come up with new strategies to help move the dial for Letcher County Students and I am beyond thankful to be blessed with such amazing people to share my passion.”