Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A small crowd made its way through the halls of LaGrange High School with flowers and balloons on Wednesday morning. The destination was the office of Maggie Brown. 

The congregation presented her with gifts as well as a plaque naming her as Social Worker of the Year for District 3. The Social Workers Association of Georgia (SSWAG) third district is comprised of 19 counties in West Georgia. Social workers vote on the winner each year and selected Brown for the 2024 honors.

“It’s very incredible. For them to choose me, makes me tear up,” Brown said. 

The presenter of the plaque was Brown’s coworker and 2022 winner of the Social Worker of the Year award, Tara Truitt. 

“She is an amazing person, and she is deserving of this award,” Truitt said, getting emotional. 

Brown is the social worker for LaGrange High School, Gardner Newman Middle School and the HOPE Academy. She said the most challenging part of the job is not being able to be, “with her kids,” every day. 

“What you do here, for Lagrange High School and our students here, not just our students, but our school community….it just makes people feel at ease knowing that they have people that they can go to with things,” said Jaime Bozeman, LHS principal. “It is a very daunting task at times… But I do appreciate everything that you do for our students.

Brown has worked various kinds of social work jobs, but said she loves being a school social worker. 

“Education is so important,” she said. “One of the most important roles that I do is encourage kids to stay in school and graduate. That can be life-changing.” 

The school social workers work closely with other staff to identify and help students who may be struggling academically, personally, emotionally, etc.

“Our students love to come talk to you. They come down here. When you’re here. They come down looking for you when you’re not here. They know that if they have a need, that you’re going to be there for them,” said Leisha Phelps, an LHS counselor. “[You meet] our student’s needs that we can’t meet as counselors, and we can’t do what we do without you”

Brown is now a nominee for the Statewide Social Worker of the Year award, which will be announced in the spring.

“I love my job. My favorite part is being able to help students when they are having a difficult time and helping them to the other side of that,” Brown said. “[Helping] realizing that they can do hard things.”