Corinth-Holders Elementary School’s (CHES) Melissa Waring has been named the Johnston County Public Schools 2025 Media Specialist Employee of the Year.
Waring’s initiatives and fresh ideas have been instrumental in the success of the media center at CHES. One of Waring’s initiatives was to offer open circulation time each morning, where students may visit the media center before the final bell rings. The initiative has been an incredible success, and now, on any given day, between 40 and 50 students stop in before going to class.
They are not only looking for their next book, but many children come for hugs and high-fives. For Waring, one of the most rewarding aspects of being the media specialist is the ability to interact with every student at CHES. “We don’t just have them in kindergarten or first grade, we have them for all six years, so we get to know these children,” Waring said.
The “we” that Waring mentions includes the STEM, art, and music teachers, as well as the school counselor, whose office is in the media center. They collaborate daily to discuss students experiencing challenges who may need additional support, and then formulate a plan to provide that support. “Our team is amazing. I love them so much!” she remarked.
When Waring found out that she was named Media Specialist Employee of the Year, she had mixed feelings. Her immediate response reflected true humility. “I see all of our librarians, and we all work hard,” she said. Then, Waring saw the recognition as an opportunity to highlight the wonderful ways in which students can experience the media center. “Then I got excited! We do a lot of cool stuff at CHES,” she remarked.
Waring’s path to becoming the media specialist began in 2017, when she, her husband, and their three children moved from Philadelphia to Johnston County. Her children were of elementary age then, and would be attending CHES, so she called the school, scheduled a tour, and was immediately impressed.
As a way to be involved with her children’s school, Waring began volunteering in the media center. A lifelong reader, Waring had spent countless hours in her local library as a child, so she was familiar with the world of books. At that time, Vanessa Batts was the CHES media specialist, and she took Waring under her wing, showing her every facet of managing a media center.
As a volunteer, Waring had a front-row seat to the tight-knit, student-focused community that the staff and administration of CHES had built within the school and for the families of CHES. Waring knew she could also make an impact. She made such a difference in the media center and the school as a whole that she received the 2019 CHES Volunteer of the Year Award.
Waring soon realized that making a difference in a young child’s life was her calling. She went on to obtain her substitute teaching credentials at Johnston Community College and began substituting full-time at the school, mainly in fifth-grade classrooms. Then she found out that her mentor, Ms. Batts, was transferring to another school. “I was devastated! I loved working with her!” Waring exclaimed.
It was at that point that Waring set her sights on becoming the school’s next media specialist. She was laser-focused on that goal and went back to college to earn a Master of Library Science degree. Since becoming a media specialist, Waring has built on what she learned from Ms. Batts, while bringing her ideas to life.
Waring’s tireless efforts have created a media center that provides more than a room filled with books. It is also a space where students want to be, because they know they will receive words of positivity and encouragement.
The Media Specialist Employee of the Year Award signifies to Waring that she is making a difference, inspiring her to continue seeking exciting and innovative ways to assist the children of CHES to develop a love of reading, while also making lasting connections they can take with them beyond the walls of the media center.