In a heartfelt ceremony during Black History Month, First Missionary Baptist Church in Cairo recognized six school district secretaries for their years of dedicated service to students, staff, and the community. The honorees, with a combined 125+ years of service to Cairo schools, were celebrated for being the "front line" of the district.

The six honorees included Diann Thomas, Hope Green, Tonya Lowe, and Tasha Posey-Blake from Cairo Junior-Senior High School, Monica Woodson from Cairo Elementary, and Keisha Carr from the district office.

"We're just not secretaries," explained Monica Woodson, who has worked at Cairo Elementary for 14 years, the last two as an administrative assistant. "We're like nurse, secretary/counselor because there's a lot of kids that feel comfortable with certain people."

Keeshia Carr, executive secretary at the district office with 17 years of service, handles a multitude of responsibilities including maintaining enrollment records for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), assisting with board meetings, processing transcripts dating back decades, and ordering caps and gowns for graduates.

"Cairo School District is my second family," Carr shared. Despite facing personal tragedy with the loss of her son in 2023, she continues to serve the district. "Some days my body is here, but my mind is not. But I'm struggling to try to maintain whatever I need to do."

The recognition event began with a delicious dinner. The church was filled with approximately 100 attendees, including family members and community supporters.

Pastor Jimmie Ellis of First Missionary Baptist Church selected the secretaries as this year's honorees, continuing the church's tradition of recognizing different groups of community members each year. What made the evening particularly special were the tributes from students. Mary Coleman, a retired school secretary and current board member, had students write about what the secretaries meant to them. Children from the church dressed up and impersonated each honoree in skits that delighted the audience.

The moment was especially emotional for Carr. "I cried when Dr. Farrell got up there and said that he appreciates what I do and he wouldn't make it without me being here... I broke down and started crying."

For many of the secretaries, these testimonials were the most meaningful part of the evening. "That was the most touching part out of the whole program, just to hear what the kids were saying," said Tasha Posey-Blake, who has worked for the district for 29 years. "I was just overwhelmed with joy."

Hope Green, who serves as the Student Support Services Liaison handling attendance, truancy, and the McKinney-Vento program (formerly homeless services) for the entire district, echoed those sentiments.

"It was surprising, really, because you just come to work and do what you're supposed to do and not really pay attention to who's looking at you from the sideline," Green said. "It was really heartwarming to me, all the nice things that everybody had to say."

The secretaries were presented with plaques commemorating their years of service. For Tonya Lowe, a special education paraprofessional who has served the district for 28 years, the recognition struck a deep emotional chord. "After working so long and to be recognized by the community, by a church...it just does something to me," she said. "I just felt the love from everybody that day."

Many of the honorees are Cairo natives and graduates themselves, creating a generational connection to the school and community. They see their roles as extending far beyond administrative duties—they are mentors, confidantes, and sometimes surrogate parents to the students.

Diann Thomas, who has served as school secretary for two years after being a paraprofessional for 26 years, also teaches RTI math for an hour each day. "I love working with the kids," Thomas shared. "I love doing the RTI. I love doing special things with the kids. I just love being around the kids."

As Hope Green, Student Support Services Liaison, who was aptly named, put it: "I try to bring back that sense of pride. We have to change that mindset." She reminds students that Cairo has produced lawyers, doctors, NBA players, and even Broadway star Chris Jackson.

Through their dedication and care, these six women embody Cairo's resilience and commitment to its future—its children. As Posey-Blake noted, the recognition reminded them all that "we are apparently making a difference."