For Chandler Adkisson, Jamie Draughan, and Erin Fink, social work in Macomb Schools is about more than providing services—it’s about giving students the foundation they need to succeed in life.

Each of them has taken a different path to this work. Erin, who has been in the field for 15 years, was drawn to social work by a mentor who encouraged her to focus on school-based support. Jamie came from hospital social work, where she helped patients in crisis but rarely got to see the long-term impact of her efforts. "I loved the work, but I wanted to build lasting relationships with students and their families," she says. Chandler, in her sixth year as a school social worker, always felt called to the profession. "Every career test I took pointed me here," she laughs. "And I haven’t regretted it."

Together, this team of four professionals—including their colleague, Laura Waldrop—works across the high school, middle school, and elementary buildings, providing mental health support, crisis intervention, and social-emotional skill-building. They collaborate with teachers, administrators, and school staff, and even community service providers and community members to ensure that every student who needs help can access it.

Social workers in Macomb Schools do much more than meet with students one-on-one. They coordinate with psychologists, counselors, special education teams, and even law enforcement to ensure students receive the help they need.

For many, their work is the first step in unlocking larger resources. "We’re kind of the front door," Chandler explains. "A student might come to us struggling with anxiety or behavioral challenges, and we help connect them to therapists, community resources, or school-based programs that can provide deeper support."

One of those programs is LEAP—Leading, Educating, and Partnering in Schools, a new initiative aimed at middle and high school students who have struggled with truancy, behavioral challenges, or academic concerns. "We work closely with them to help reintegrate identified students into the school community and ensure they get the support they need," Erin explains.

For students facing food insecurity, homelessness, family instability, or emotional trauma, learning can feel like an afterthought. "You can’t focus on algebra if you’re wondering where your next meal is coming from," Jamie says.

The social work team’s goal is to remove barriers—or at least help students navigate them—so they can focus on being kids. Whether it’s finding housing assistance for a struggling family, teaching students how to regulate emotions, or simply being a safe adult to talk to, their work is about ensuring that no student slips through the cracks.

But their job is about more than crisis intervention. It’s also about prevention—helping students build skills that will serve them long after they leave Macomb Schools.

"You can be the smartest kid in the world, but if you don’t know how to communicate, manage emotions, or work with others, success will be a challenge," Erin explains. "Our job is to help students develop those foundational life skills."

The work isn’t easy. Social workers see students at their most vulnerable, and sometimes, there are no easy answers. "You have to set boundaries," Jamie admits. "You have to find ways to process what you see, or it’ll wear you down."

But for every tough day, there’s a moment that reminds them why they do this work. Erin recalls a former student who went on to attend Spoon River College—a student who once struggled but later returned to volunteer with her. "When they come back and say, ‘You made a difference,’ that’s everything," she says.

Chandler agrees. "We can’t change everything. But inside these walls, we can make sure that students feel seen, valued, and supported."

And that, in the end, is what makes all the difference.