The NC Homeless Education Program (NCHEP) has selected Ms. Catharine Waugh as the Homeless Liaison of the Year for the state of North Carolina.
From Lisa Phillips, State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, NC Department of Public Instruction:
"Ms. Waugh was selected for her endless dedication and commitment to serving one of our most vulnerable populations of students, her passion for education, and her mission for the overall success of students in school. As your district knows, Ms. Waugh is highly regarded as a school social worker and homeless liaison by her colleagues and is viewed as a model leader at the local and state level. In addition, she emulates warmth and humility, is enthusiastic about serving students experiencing homelessness, and always expresses sincere appreciation to others for their efforts and commitment to education.
While Ms. Waugh has accomplished so much in her career in education, she is also well-known and highly respected in the field of homeless education for the services and supports she has provided to students, families, educators, and the community. Because of her continued promise to serve the homeless students and other students who once were or are at risk of becoming homeless, I will be recommending Ms. Waugh for the Homeless Liaison of the Year award with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) in 2023. The announcement of the recipient for this honor will be made during the 2023 Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana. She will be competing against many exceptional liaisons throughout the country. Whether she is selected at the national level or not, she is the NCHEP Homeless Liaison of the Year, and we will honor her throughout the school year of her success.
I want to extend my sincere appreciation for all Ms. Waugh has done for the NCHEP and her students experiencing homelessness, their parents, the school community, and the state. In our gratitude, Ms. Waugh received the NCHEP Homeless Liaison of the Year award during the Annual State Meeting at the NAEHCY Conference yesterday. She will be recognized at the NCHEP Learning Institute for Homeless Liaisons, which will be held in the Spring. In addition, her family will be invited to attend the award ceremony in NC along with another person from your LEA to share in her accomplishments."
