Murray teacher named Kentucky School Counselor Association 2022 winner

Ann Samons honored at upcoming annual conference

MURRAY, Ky. (KBSI) – The Kentucky School Counselor Association (KSCA) has named its 2022 winner.

During the Murray Crosstown Classic Pep Rally at Murray High School, former counselor Ann Samons, who retired in June after 32 years of service, was greeted by a standing ovation by the student body as she was named the statewide winner.

Samons will be recognized at an awards brunch during the KSCA annual conference at 10 a.m., Sept. 16, at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington.

The former Walmart Teacher of the Year (1999) and a 2009 Kentucky Counselor of the Year nominee, Samons was named the 2022 High School Counselor of the Year by the KSCA after being nominated by Murray High School principal, Tony Jarvis, and district assistant superintendent, Lou Carter.

Bailey Derby, a Murray High School senior, said Samons’s dedication separates her from other educators.

“She was a safe place for me,” said Derby. “I felt like I was able to talk to her about anything without the fear of judgment. She offered a place of comfort when I needed it. I am truly grateful for her.”

Prior to her retirement, and after an education career in eastern Kentucky, Samons joined the MHS counseling staff and served as the lead counselor for the past five years.

“Regardless of a student’s background or struggle, she is equitable and strives to help the child be an overcomer,” said Jarvis.

Samons is a member of several organizations, including the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA); the Kentucky School Counselors Association (KSCA); the American School Counselor Association (ASCA); and the Western Kentucky Counseling Association (WKCA).