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<p><strong>Robert Smalls, Port Royal Elementary counselors also honored</strong></p>
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<p><strong>From staff reports</strong></p>
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<p>Broad River Elementary Counselor Candace Washington is the Beaufort County School District’s 2023 School Counselor of the Year.</p>
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<p>In addition to honoring Washington, the district also recognized Robert Smalls International Academy’s Tekerria Brown as Middle School Counselor of the Year, May River High School’s Laura Marshall as High School Counselor of the Year, and Port Royal Elementary School’s Arriel Young as Rookie School Counselor of the Year.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://gtq.igo.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Port-Royal-Elementary-Schools-Arriel-Young-1.jpg"><img src="https://gtq.igo.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Port-Royal-Elementary-Schools-Arriel-Young-1-994x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63695"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Port Royal Elementary School’s Arriel Young (left)</figcaption></figure>
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<p>“We’re extremely proud of Ms. Washington for earning this recognition,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a news release. “Extraordinary school counselors like Ms. Washington are vital to any school community.”</p>
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<p>In her fourth year as a school counselor, Washington says it’s rewarding to see how excited her students are to see her in the hallway, especially when she asks them how their day is going and they in turn ask her the same, which is the “best accolades” one could ask for.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://gtq.igo.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Robert-Smalls-International-Academys-Tekerria-Brown-1.jpg"><img src="https://gtq.igo.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Robert-Smalls-International-Academys-Tekerria-Brown-1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63667"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Robert Smalls International Academy’s Tekerria Brown(left)</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Broad River Elementary School principal, Constance Goodwine-Lewis, described Washington as having a “calm spirit and nature,” who is especially dedicated to the students of Beaufort County as she was born and raised here as well. “I couldn’t ask for a better counselor.”</p>
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<p>A three-person panel of district administrators evaluated this year’s candidates and selected the honorees.</p>
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<p>Local businesses and community members sponsored the awards and donated gifts for the district’s school counselors.</p>
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