Best of the best: SSWAG chooses Angela Gay as District 9’s School Social Worker of the Year
Angela Gay has been chosen as the 2025-26 Social Worker of the Year by the School Social Workers Association of Georgia (SSWAG). She was recognized for her impact on her district and her contributions to the School Social Work profession.
“I felt very honored to receive that award because the work I do, I don’t do it for recognition. I don’t do it for accolades. I do it because I love this work. I love working with students and families, but to be recognized for the work I do, that’s like the ultimate honor,” Gay said.
Gay has been a social worker in the Clarke County School District for 31 years, currently splitting time between Howard B. Stroud Elementary School and Cedar Shoals. Gayhas played a key role in implementing programs that promote family engagement and resources for those in need.
“It’s not uncommon for us to go into a community and do a home visit and say, ‘Hey, can I meet with you at home?’ or, ‘Do I need to meet with you on your job? You have a lunch break, I can meet with you then?’ We are willing to meet parents wherever they say it’s okay to meet, as we try to build that bridge between home and school,” Gay said.
As the District 9 honoree, Gay will advance to compete for SSWAG’s School Social Worker of the Year at the state level where, if she wins, she will earn statewide recognition from the School Social Worker Association of Georgia.
“I think it would be a great way to celebrate my 31 years of doing this work in the Clarke County School District. It would be the ultimate reward because it would bring awareness to the field of social work. It brings the awareness to what social workers do, because not a lot of times people understand our work and the value of our work,” Gay said.
