The Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award, created by Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman in 2020, recognizes the state's more than 46,000 classified school employees. Classified school employees serve in vital and often overlooked roles, from driving students to school and preparing their meals, to working with partner agencies to meet crucial student needs.
Nominations may be submitted by public school districts, private schools, educational cooperatives, education organizations, professional organizations, labor organizations, nonprofit entities, parents and students.
Two state winners are announced annually. Their names are then forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education for consideration for the national Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award | U.S. Department of Education, which was passed by Congress in 2019 to recognize classified school employees who have displayed excellence in serving students.
Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award recipients include:
- 2025-2026: Vanessa Lyons, reading intervention educator and program facilitator, Taylor County Intermediate School, and Kala Marshall, instructional assistant and girls basketball coach, Spencer County Public Schools.
- 2024-2025: Sam Graham, bus driver, Taylor County Schools, and Kim Frank, school administrative assistant, Latonia Elementary School (Covington Independent).
- 2023-2024: Brandon Burden, custodian, Robertson County Schools, and Judy Edens, lead custodian, Fayette County Schools.
- 2022-2023: Heather LeBlanc, early childhood coordinator, Gallatin County Schools, and Michael Wright, instructional assistant, Calloway County Day Treatment Center.
- 2021-2022: Velda Kissick, paraprofessional, Bluegrass Discovery Academy, Rowan County, and Paula Rust, director of health services, Kenton County.
- 2020-2021: Shelly Thomas, family resource coordinator, Barren County, and Robert Walker, school safety and wellness coordinator, Harrison County.