Spend even a few minutes talking with Amanda Harshman and you’ll understand almost immediately why students gravitate toward her. She carries an easy calm, the kind that makes you feel safe just by stepping into the room—a good quality for someone who serves as Meridian’s Director of Social Services.

Amanda has been with Meridian for seven years, though her connection to the district stretches back a bit longer. Before coming on full-time in 2019, she worked for JAMP Special Education Services and traveled between schools, stopping at Meridian as part of her rotation. When the opportunity arose to join the district full-time, it felt like the next right step.

Her journey to school social work started much earlier, though. Amanda grew up in Mount Carmel, Illinois, two hours northeast of Meridian. She left home in 2009 to attend SIU Carbondale, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. At first, she imagined she might become a teacher. But after experiencing the reality of a full classroom, she realized she was drawn to a different type of work.

“I still wanted to be in a school,” she said, “but I wanted to help kids one-on-one or in small groups.” Once she learned what school social workers did, everything clicked into place.

It took five years for her to find a school-based position—those jobs were harder to come by then—so she gained experience along the way, first as a caseworker with the Salvation Army in Marion, then at Robin’s Nest Learning Center in Carterville. She loved those roles, but her long-term goal remained the same. When she found her way into school social work at JAMP, she knew she was finally on the right path.

Today, Amanda sees about 25 regularly each week, but in reality, she might work with anyone on any given day. “Anytime a student is going through a tough time or needs someone to talk to, I can be called,” she said. “It could be because of something they said, something they’re feeling, even just a really hard day.”

Her office is located in the junior high building, and for the first time this year, it’s a full classroom—something she’s grateful for after years of sharing spaces and working out of small rooms. The space now includes her desk, a table for small groups, stacks of toys and games, shelves of books, and a cozy, calming area with beanbags. It’s a room designed for comfort and connection, a place where a student can talk if they want to or simply sit quietly and breathe.

The district has expanded its mental health support in recent years, hiring two SEL coaches—one for the elementary school and one for the junior high and high school. They teach social-emotional lessons in classrooms, provide individual support, and help students when Amanda is with someone else. She also works closely with the district’s behavior interventionist, James Walton, especially when students are dealing with discipline issues or complicated emotional situations.

Comprehensive support goes beyond what can happen in a school office, and Amanda helps families connect with outside resources when needed. The district partners with Arrowleaf, a regional mental health organization that offers counseling and family services. Students can attend sessions at school or at Arrowleaf’s office, depending on what works best. Meridian also offers Gaggle, an online counseling platform paid for by the district and free to both students and staff.

But whether she’s the one providing support or connecting a student to someone else, her goal is always the same: make sure no child feels alone.

And there’s one thing she wants the community to know: the services are there for any student who needs them. “Sometimes people don’t realize there’s someone here kids can talk to,” she said. “But there is. That’s what I’m here for.”

Confidentiality is another important part of the job, especially in a small community where people worry about who might hear what. Amanda makes sure every student knows the boundaries from the very beginning: what they say stays private unless they express a plan to hurt themselves or someone else, or if they share something she is mandated to report. “Safety is always the number one priority,” she said.

For many students, time with Amanda becomes a bright spot in their day. “A lot of them just want someone to listen,” she said. When she walks into an elementary classroom to pick up a student, half a dozen hands often shoot up with kids asking, “Can I be next?” They may not even know what she does—they just know they feel comfortable with her.

Every school day is different. Every hour is unpredictable. But for Amanda Harshman, that’s part of the calling. She’s here for the students who need someone. She’s here when a child needs to talk, when they need help, when they need a calm space to breathe.