Lexington town councilman honored for volunteer work at LES
January 27, 2017
One of Lexington Elementary School’s most faithful volunteers received a statewide honor this month for his dedication to students and teachers.
The Palmetto State School Counselor Association named Lexington Town Councilman Ron Williams the 2017 School Counselor Advocate of the Year. Winners are honored for their support and positive impact on school counselors and their students at the local, state or national level.
A typical day for Williams starts off in the car line greeting students as they come to school or you may find him in the front office helping a teacher make copies for the day. He helps unload and distribute snack pack bags to make sure students don’t go hungry during the weekend.
In addition to playing the role of conductor in the LES Polar Express for years, Williams is also a guest speaker for the annual Learners of the Pride Student Recognition Program.
As a town councilman, Williams made arrangements for the LES Student Council to attend a town council meeting so that students could observe the legislative process and the use of Robert’s Rules of Order.
When LES Student Council members raised money for a Buddy Bench, Williams helped students put the bench together and recruited personnel from the Town of Lexington to install the bench on the LES playground. Now any student who needs a friend to play with can have a seat on the Buddy Bench, signaling other students to invite them to join their group.
“As a school administrator for more than 19 years, I have never seen a non-parent volunteer work so hard to support my school’s counseling program,” LES Principal James H. Hamby said. “He has shown his confidence in our school counseling program by assisting with our Student Recognition Program, Weekend Snack Pack Program, Student Government and Career Week, as well as serving on the LES Guidance Advisory Board. He is a glowing example of true volunteerism.”
School Counselor Michele B. Grahn agrees. “He is a very familiar face to many of the students who know him as ‘Mr. Ron.’ He has greeted students as soon as they set foot in the school building on many mornings. One of his greatest contributions is mentoring struggling students. He has made and continues to make a significant contribution to the improvement of school counseling services at Lexington Elementary School.”
