JAMESTOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's a day of celebration at Jamestown Elementary School. The team is celebrating three big state wins. Officer Jamie Rogers won School Resource Officer of the Year, Lori Loy won School Counselor of the Year, and Donnie Wilkerson won Elementary Teacher of the Year.
The school’s principal, Diane Blakenship, says, "It's very good for the culture, it's very good for, you know, those high expectations that you can get there, and it is attainable."
Each of these staff members has a passion for what they do every day. They know education isn't for everyone, but they say the job is very rewarding.
Officer Rogers says, "It's not so much — once you get through the safety and security part of the day, you get to interact, have positive interactions with the kids, get to be more of a mentor than law enforcement."
Loy shares, "When they come back or when they see you out in the community they're so welcoming and so glad to see you coming up and giving you hugs and I think they see us as part of their families like an extended family."
Students, staff, and members of the community filed into this school's gym to celebrate its 5th-grade history teacher Mr. Donnie Wilkerson.
This community is celebrating what they say they already know. That is what an engaging and hard-working teacher Mr. Wilkerson has been over the last two decades. He started his career in retail and politics, but in his classroom, it's easy to see he's found his passion in life.
"It is, there's nothing to compare it to, and I spent the bulk of my early career in the retail business world and in the political world, and that was rewarding as well. But to compare the two, there is no comparison,” says Wilkerson.
His classroom is a visual timeline of history through the centuries. He says it's important to get students excited about learning — he says it's important to love what you do.
"Everybody needs to find what they love, every job, all jobs, we talk about that, all jobs are important. Nothing, nothing is menial. There are no menial task. Everything, if you can't love your job, try to find something you do,” says Wilkerson.
The school's principal says these three big wins are just further proof and reflection of what a special school and community this is.
Mrs. Blankenship says, "It's a little teeny small community, but it doesn't mean that there's not huge talent available here for us, and I’m just grateful that they've had the opportunity to be recognized."
