Livingston Educational Service Agency social worker earns statewide honor
HOWELL — A social worker from the Livingston Educational Service Agency has been honored as Michigan’s Social Worker of the Year by the state’s largest industry trade association.
Amy Nicholas, who has worked at various buildings in Howell Public Schools since 2002 and currently spends her school days at Parker Middle School, was given the honor by the National Association of Social Workers Michigan Chapter. The Michigan Social Worker of the Year Award honors a member of the NASW-Michigan Chapter who exemplifies the best of the profession’s values and achievements through specific accomplishments in recent years.
Nicholas was nominated by social worker colleague Marisa Gawel, who gathered numerous letters of recommendation from around the district. Nicholas was shocked by the award, and credits others at Howell and LESA for providing her the resources she needs to be successful at her job.
“I heard a few weeks ago (about the award) from the NASW and I couldn’t believe it,” Nicholas said. “The support and belief in my work from my colleagues who made the nomination and who wrote letters of recommendation has been incredibly heartwarming and motivating."
In Howell, Nicholas has played an integral role in the success of programs such as Parker Middle School’s TIES (peer mentoring) program and the Unified Champion Sports program, both designed to provide student-specific support. She has actively pursued grants and available funds to help launch efforts benefiting students and their families, such as anti-bullying efforts and parental engagement tips.
Nicholas grew up around teachers, social workers and other family members who were always helping others. She credits her mother for instilling the love of volunteering within her and was also influenced by some of her own teachers and counselors. Nicholas earned her Master of Social Work from Wayne State University.
Nicholas enjoys her job because every day is different. She works with students individually and in groups. She’s often in touch with parents, always interacting with teachers and working to provide resources to students.
“I’ve really been able to learn a lot about the community, especially here in Howell,” said Nicholas, whose husband J.T. grew up there and attended Howell Schools. “Being a part of LESA has allowed me to connect with many other social workers around the county. It’s just a great place to work in a job that I love.”
Since she learned of her award, many parents Nicholas has worked with in the community have reached out to congratulate her.
“People are so thoughtful,” Nicholas said. “It’s an amazing feeling to hear from families I worked with years ago.”
Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage
Nicholas has also been active in the broader community by participating as a member of the Livingston Educational Autism Network, providing training as a certified instructor with the Crisis Prevention Institute, and serving on committees to bring professional development opportunities to LESA. Nicholas has mentored and supervised new and aspiring social workers as well.
“Amy’s incredible contributions and support of our school community are evident in the success of the numerous programs she has helped build and their impact on our students,” Patricia Poelke, Parker Middle School principal, wrote in a statement. “From launching a peer-to-peer mentoring program to bringing one of the first Unified Champion Sports programs to Howell, Amy has had a positive influence on the entire district,”
NASW-Michigan has over 6,000 members throughout Michigan.
— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: LESA employee named Michigan Social Worker of the Year
