While in a phone call with a parent, receptionist Kelley Toney hears career-altering news over the intercom. As she held her composure, cheers and clapping erupted from the front office. After hanging up the phone, she was met with balloons, flower bouquets, and congratulations from her co-workers for being given the high honor of Paraprofessional of the Year.

Her path to education started long before this title, however. The full circle moment of becoming Paraprofessional of the year reminded Ms. Toney of the moment when she was first inducted into the Westwood community. Four years ago, during a boat ride with family and friends, Ms. Toney’s cell phone rang with Principal Erin Campbell on the other line; after a click of the phone line, Ms. Toney revealed that she received the job. Cheers filled the boat as her loved ones celebrated her getting her dream job, a testament to her passion.

Not only was Ms. Toney awarded for her perseverance and dedication to her work, but also for being her kind and authentic self to every student and parent that walked through the front office. Inspired by an old co-worker’s warmth, she passed the learned kindness forward, allowing herself to grow and become the warm and attentive receptionist she is today.

“I was an English teacher at Hill Country Christian School of Austin, and one person who inspired me was a co-worker I met there. Her name is Mrs. Marcelle Simms,” Ms. Toney said. “The best way that I can describe her is that she is someone who, for me, most closely exemplifies Christ in the way that she loved others and served others. I still think about her, and I’m inspired by the way she valued people.”

Even after tiring shifts of answering countless phone calls, attending to parents, and assisting students to her utmost ability, Ms. Toney perseveres through difficult days by having faith and delivering a simple but humble smile to every visitor. Reminded of her true purpose behind the desk, she is brought peace knowing that the students make it worth it.

“I think it’s the teenagers that definitely put a smile on my face and makes this journey worth it,” Ms. Toney said. “My job is unique in that I’m just here to love and help you guys, and that makes my job a big part of my ‘why’ I choose to stay.”

Ms. Toney’s impact as a receptionist extends beyond sitting at a desk. Throughout her education career, first as a teacher and now as a receptionist, she has learned the value of relationships. Whether it’s a work relationship, a long-term friendship, or a short-term parent meeting, the impact of relationships and human connection remind Ms. Toney that she is exactly where she is meant to be.

“It is a blessing to believe that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and to be exactly what I’m supposed to be doing,” Ms. Toney said. “That sense of security is a blessing, and I know that this life is really about relationships and this job gives me a lot of opportunities to form them.”

“The Westwood core value of accepting everyone in a welcoming and respectful way is one that I connect with everyday, and seeing it on the wall makes me feel motivated to make a positive impression on the people that walk in,” Ms. Toney said. “I think that it shows how administrators value how our community is welcomed, respected, and treated with kindness, patience and humility. Westwood really values people, parents, and its students and cares about how they feel. That’s what I think this receptionist position award symbolizes.”