E.T. Booth MS Educator Wins CCSD Media Specialist of the Year Award E.T. Booth MS media specialist Amanda Graves doesn’t wait for students to visit her library. She dons a biker vest and peddles a custom tricycle down the school’s halls to deliver books to them as the “Book Biker.” She stocks a vending machine inside the school with books, instead of snacks, to feed their hunger for knowledge. She fills a Little Free Lending Library on the school’s campus with books students can borrow at any hour. She surprises them by appearing in costume — an inflatable T-Rex among the most memorable — to promote books’ power to spark imagination and joy.“She is one of the most creative individuals I have had the pleasure of working with,” Principal Todd Sharrock said. “There is never a dull moment with Mrs. Graves at the helm.”Her incredible enthusiasm for literacy and dedication to the learning of her students and colleagues alike led to the recent announcement that she is the Cherokee County School District’s (CCSD) 2021 Media Specialist of the Year. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower made the surprise presentation to Graves, who now advances to represent CCSD in the regional competition, from which she could move on to the state contest. “Amanda is a dreamer and a doer,” Dr. Hightower said. “She not only embeds creativity in all she does, but she also backs it up with knowledge gained from her years of experience and studies in her field. This honor comes as no surprise to me, as it is much deserved and overdue.” Graves was selected from a pool of outstanding nominees by a judging committee of retired educators and community leaders.“I believe that student engagement is more than walking between the bookshelves,” Graves said. “It is my vision that media specialists and media centers have the ability to be a true change agent within their schools.”
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