Last week, LifeChanger popped up at a McQuistion Elementary School in Butler, PA to announce that Nurse Michele Harold has been named the 2021 Spotlight Award Winner! She was surprised with the news in front of 500 students and staff, Butler Area School District officials, and the local media.
As this year’s winner, Michele will receive $5,000 to be split between a $2,500 individual cash award and a $2,500 donation to her school district.
Here’s what Michele’s LifeChanger profile had to say about her:
Michele Harold was nominated by multiple colleagues, as well as her spouse, Martin.
Mrs. Harold has been in nursing for almost 30 years, and she has always worked with children. She has been a school nurse for 12 years and has been very dedicated to her job. As a school nurse, you not only work with the children, but the teachers, administrators, other nurses, and the students’ families. As a school nurse, Mrs. Harold has many responsibilities to make sure the students in her building are safe and cared for appropriately. She takes time to listen and talk with students, staff and parents.
“Nurse Harold is the most dedicated person I have ever met,” said one colleague. “She knows every one of her students and has the most amazing rapport with them. For a few students in particular, she will be the only one who can get them to open up if they’re having a rough day. Sometimes, she is the only one who these students will talk to at all. She works so incredibly hard. She doesn’t stop just because school is out for the summer. Nurse Harold takes work home with her every day and works throughout the entire summer.”
Mrs. Harold took on the role of department chair for the district’s nurses when someone else stepped down. This is a two-year position, and she has been doing it for five years. This is an added responsibility on top of caring for the 465 students in her building.
Once COVID-19 hit, Mrs. Harold stepped up in her position as department chair and reached out to the superintendent of the district. She worked closely with him in making sure that when the staff and students returned to school, they were all safe. She did this with patience and respect for others’ privacy. Mrs. Harold communicated in a way that made everyone feel like they could trust her.
“I have found her here at school after hours, making phone calls to contact trace to make sure COVID does not spread. On top of that, Michele has managed day-to-day sicknesses and ailments with ease,” said one colleague. “If there is a question about COVID in the district, teachers, other nurses, and principals call Michele. She is the department chair, schedule maker, and a CSN for a school with over 400 students. She goes above and beyond to make this district run smoothly.
“Mrs. Harold is the glue that holds our school together and keeps everyone healthy. We are forever grateful for her kindness and dedication,” said one colleague.
“She is just the best and very deserving!” said another colleague.
“We all count on Michele, and she never lets us down!” said yet another colleague.
Finally, another colleague wrote the following poem:
“Be it morning, noon, or night,
Mrs. Harold is always up for the fight —
against COVID and lice and scraped knees,
Mrs. Harold’s ready to tackle every sneeze.
As she greets her kids in the morning,
until she waves them goodbye each afternoon,
Mrs. Harold loves and cares for them all up until June.”