Elliott County HS Teacher Awarded the Pathfinder Award for Her Support of Students Looking to Attend College

Published on Apr 15, 2024

Ashland Community and Technical College is proud to announce this year’s ACTC Pathfinder Award winner is Anita Lewis who teaches at Elliott County High School (ECHS).

“I love to do what I can to support the students. A lot of them I’ve had in class and I’ve been with them since 5th and 6th grade,” said Lewis. “I’m so excited to see what they will do after high school. It’s been amazing getting to know them and support them.”

The Pathfinder Award is meant to celebrate local high school faculty or staff members who support ACTC, assist students with identifying post-secondary pathways, and/or provide mentorship to their students.

Lewis was one of many nominees for the award, but her glowing recommendation from ECHS student, Kristin Casto, showed just how valuable she is to her students and the impact she has made.

“Mrs. Lewis deserves recognition for all her hard work and for being a beam of light for all of our students. She has been there every step of the way checking up on us and making sure we are doing okay both as students and as people,” said Casto. “She has been an encouragement every step of the way in my college career as a dual credit student and supportive in all of my endeavors to invest in my future.”

ACTC is grateful to have so many supportive educational partners and individuals who truly believe in the value of education.

Steve Woodburn, Chief Student Affairs Officer at ACTC, stated they have worked very closely with Lewis to provide her with information to assist her students on their college journey.

“We’ve seen first-hand how much she loves her students and Elliott County. She texts, calls, emails to check on students, and reaches out to us to ask questions about potential pathways her students would be a great fit for!”

Written by: Taylor Alexander