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Pickens honors support employee and teacher of the year; YAMS and Easley High food service receive statewide recognition; teacher-cadet students present program
Summary
The School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees recognized district staff, community partners and student presenters at its Sept. 22 meeting, naming April Hurd as District Support Employee of the Year and Elizabeth Gunnels as Teacher of the Year and honoring community programs and a national food-service contest winner.
The School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees opened its Sept. 22 meeting with recognitions for district staff, community partners and student presenters.
Support employee and teacher awards: Josh Young presented April Hurd as the district's 2025—26 District Support Employee of the Year. Young said Hurd began with the district in February 2008 as a bus driver and now manages payroll for more than 100 employees in the Transportation Department, coordinates field trips and supports parents and staff districtwide. "Her colleagues describe her as the glue that holds our transportation department together," Young said.
Young also introduced Elizabeth Gunnels as the district's Teacher of the Year. Gunnels teaches fifth grade at Liberty Elementary School and was recognized for blending "high academic expectations with a classroom culture filled with care and belonging," including classroom traditions Young described as contributing to a strong learning environment.
Cafeteria contest win: The board celebrated Lisa Hayes, cafeteria manager at Easley High School, and her team for winning the national JTM Crave Contest with a recipe called the "Cheesesteak Spudquake." Young said the entry advanced through regional voting by students to a final round in San Antonio and won the national contest. Jennifer Stevenson, the district's director of student nutrition services, joined Hayes at the dais.
YAMS recognition: Michelle Branning, representing the South Carolina School Boards Association, presented the Champions for Public Education award to Betty McDaniel and Young Appalachian Musicians (YAMS). Branning described the program as a grassroots initiative that began at Holly Springs Elementary in 2008 and has expanded to serve more than 400 students across 14 school sites. The program offers music instruction, student mentoring and community performances; district staff said YAMS uses a sliding-scale fee structure and instrument rental to increase access.
Teacher cadet presentations: Students from the Pickens High School teacher-cadet program, led by Dr. Angela Lucas, spoke to the board about classroom activities, field placements and lessons learned. Student presenters described learning teaching techniques, Maslow's hierarchy of needs for classroom practice, hands-on placements in local elementary and preschool classrooms, and skills such as confidence-building and behavior strategies. Students noted partnerships with North Greenville University and opportunities like the Teaching Fellow Scholarship.
Why it matters: The recognitions highlight staff and community partnerships providing curriculum enrichment, nutrition services and extracurricular opportunities that district staff said support student success.
Next steps: The board thanked presenters and moved to business items. No formal votes were required for the recognitions presented in open session.
