{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"19310","rtpr_id":"nGNX1hWz3","ticker":"KELYA","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["KELYA"],"title":"Kelly Education Names 2026 Substitute Educators of the Year, Expanding Program to Honor Runner-Ups for the First Time","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-05-04T15:09:22.100Z","article_body":"During Teacher Appreciation Week, Esther Yardumian-Smyth and Celia Effrig\nrecognized as national winners among hundreds of substitute educators\nnominated across the U.S.\n\n\n\nTROY, Mich., May 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Teacher Appreciation\nWeek is a time to honor the educators who shape students’ lives every day,\nincluding the substitute teachers and paraeducators who provide consistency,\ncare, and connection in classrooms across the country. This year, Kelly\nEducation proudly announces the recipients of its annual Substitute Educator\nof the Year Award, celebrating two outstanding individuals whose dedication to\nstudents, schools, and communities exemplifies the very best in education.\n\nTo be eligible for the award, nominees must be actively employed with Kelly\nEducation and recommended by school staff members who have witnessed their\npositive impact firsthand. Winners each receive a $5,000 bonus, as well as\n$1,500 donated to a school of their choice. In a milestone expansion of the\nprogram, 2026 marks the first year Kelly Education is formally recognizing\nrunner-ups in each category, reflecting the organization’s commitment to\nbroadening recognition for its substitute educators and honoring the\noutstanding school district partners who nominate them.\n\n“Substitute educators are the backbone of classroom continuity, and this\nyear’s honorees remind us just how profound their impact can be,” said\nNicola Soares, President of Kelly Education. “Esther and Celia bring\npassion, experience, and heart to their roles every single day. Expanding the\nprogram to include runner-ups for the first time is our way of saying that\nexcellence deserves to be celebrated at every level. There is no shortage of\nit in our workforce.”\n\nMeet This Year’s Honorees\n\n\n\nEsther Yardumian-Smyth\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/esther-yardumian-smyth), a\nsubstitute teacher from Pawleys Island, South Carolina, brings more than 30\nyears of classroom experience to her role at the Academy for the Arts,\nScience, and Technology (AAST) in Myrtle Beach. A longtime high school English\nand Advanced Placement Literature teacher and AP Table Reader and Leader for\nmore than fifteen years, Esther came out of retirement twice before her\nprincipal suggested she return to the classroom as a substitute teacher. She\nhas never looked back.\n\nThat 50-minute commute from Pawleys Island to Myrtle Beach each morning?\nEsther considers it part of the job: time to prepare mentally, reflect on her\npurpose, and arrive ready to meet students where they are. Her philosophy is\none she carries into every classroom. “Meet students where they are, and\nleave them better than you found them,” she says.\n\nWhen asked about her mantra, Esther turned to George Bernard Shaw: “Life is\nno brief candle to me. It is rather a splendid torch which I have got hold of\nfor the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before\nhanding it on to future generations.” For Esther, substitute teaching is not\na step away from education. It is a new and deeply meaningful way to stay\nengaged in it.\n\n\n\nCelia Effrig\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/paraeducator-story-celia-effrig),\na paraeducator in Auburn, Alabama, did not set out to become one. She did not\neven know what one was when a colleague first suggested she try the role. A\ngraduate of Auburn University with a degree in Human Development and Family\nStudies, Celia had worked at Yarbrough Elementary School during college in the\nafter-school program. Returning as a paraeducator, she quickly discovered her\ncalling.\n\nFor the past three years, Celia has worked alongside the same teacher and the\nsame group of students, watching them grow, celebrating their milestones, and\nkeeping a running record of the funny and memorable things they say. “My\nfavorite part about being a paraeducator is forming bonds with the kids I work\nwith,” she says. “Every child I have worked with will always have a huge\nspot in my heart.”\n\nThe mantra she lives by and passes on to her students every day is one they\ncan all carry with them: “You can do hard things.”\n\nHonoring Excellence Across the Program\n\nIn the first year of formal runner-up recognition, Kelly Education is proud to\nalso honor Trina Kohler\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/substitute-teacher-story-trina-kohler),\nSubstitute Teacher with the Wasatch County School District in Utah, and\nKeshaun Henry\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/paraeducator-story-keshaun-henry),\nParaeducator at Walter M. Schirra Elementary in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Each\nrunner-up will receive a $1,000 bonus, plus an additional $500 to donate to\nthe school of their choice. Their stories, along with those of this year's\nwinners, can be found at kellyeducation.com\n(https://www.kellyeducation.com/services-and-solutions/employee-retention/substitute-educator-of-the-year-awards/).\n\nAbout Kelly Education\n\nKelly Education powers the future of learning through customized workforce\nsolutions, including hiring and recruiting, business management, professional\ndevelopment, academic, and social-emotional support across the full continuum\nof education—from early childhood, PK-12, special education, and therapeutic\nservices to higher education, executive search, and beyond. Kelly Education is\na business of Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB), a global workforce solutions\nprovider that connects businesses and individuals with limitless opportunities\nthrough meaningful work. Learn more at kellyeducation.com\n(https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkellyeducation.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cdanielle.nixon%40kellyservices.com%7C8427a9b13ce4470e7a3008da3a9c5aa1%7C47eede07012940efa5d49e87787f923d%7C0%7C0%7C637886740447778697%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NF5hjnNuJZszeRr90Wg8BUABzezdZVjAeHc21Lpywro%3D&reserved=0) or\nconnect with us on LinkedIn\n(https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fkelly-education%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cdanielle.nixon%40kellyservices.com%7C8427a9b13ce4470e7a3008da3a9c5aa1%7C47eede07012940efa5d49e87787f923d%7C0%7C0%7C637886740447778697%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZlllBPAC6rg3a8tKZCnTeEf3SdSQX6HakmW%2B6qNzidY%3D&reserved=0)\nand Facebook\n(https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKellyEducation&data=05%7C01%7Cdanielle.nixon%40kellyservices.com%7C8427a9b13ce4470e7a3008da3a9c5aa1%7C47eede07012940efa5d49e87787f923d%7C0%7C0%7C637886740447778697%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=didzf8oQfJGToC%2FCodaYtw69SP3DFXBCULXnvbRyFFo%3D&reserved=0).\n\nMedia Contact:\n\nDanielle Nixon\n\nDirector of Public Relations\n\nKelly Education\n\nPhone: 816-737-8414\n\nEmail: danielle.nixon@kellyservices.com\n\nPhotos accompanying this announcement are available at:\n\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a139e756-0467-4ad4-9869-3336bff502de\n\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98182f9f-b4e6-495f-9319-c94dbbfaa5e2\n\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9a93403-4fa8-4670-b883-91ef37222513\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5287bccc-bb92-4f54-8123-66a70f973147)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year \n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a139e756-0467-4ad4-9869-3336bff502de/en)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year2026 Kelly Education\nSubstitute Educator of the Year Substitute Teacher Winner \n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98182f9f-b4e6-495f-9319-c94dbbfaa5e2/en)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year Substitute Teacher\nWinner2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year Paraeducator Winner\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9a93403-4fa8-4670-b883-91ef37222513/en)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year Paraeducator Winner\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX1hWz3","title":"Kelly Education Names 2026 Substitute Educators of the Year, Expanding Program to Honor Runner-Ups for the First Time","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"KELYA","created":"2026-05-04T15:09:22.100Z","tickers":["KELYA"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"During Teacher Appreciation Week, Esther Yardumian-Smyth and Celia Effrig\nrecognized as national winners among hundreds of substitute educators\nnominated across the U.S.\n\n\n\nTROY, Mich., May 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Teacher Appreciation\nWeek is a time to honor the educators who shape students’ lives every day,\nincluding the substitute teachers and paraeducators who provide consistency,\ncare, and connection in classrooms across the country. This year, Kelly\nEducation proudly announces the recipients of its annual Substitute Educator\nof the Year Award, celebrating two outstanding individuals whose dedication to\nstudents, schools, and communities exemplifies the very best in education.\n\nTo be eligible for the award, nominees must be actively employed with Kelly\nEducation and recommended by school staff members who have witnessed their\npositive impact firsthand. Winners each receive a $5,000 bonus, as well as\n$1,500 donated to a school of their choice. In a milestone expansion of the\nprogram, 2026 marks the first year Kelly Education is formally recognizing\nrunner-ups in each category, reflecting the organization’s commitment to\nbroadening recognition for its substitute educators and honoring the\noutstanding school district partners who nominate them.\n\n“Substitute educators are the backbone of classroom continuity, and this\nyear’s honorees remind us just how profound their impact can be,” said\nNicola Soares, President of Kelly Education. “Esther and Celia bring\npassion, experience, and heart to their roles every single day. Expanding the\nprogram to include runner-ups for the first time is our way of saying that\nexcellence deserves to be celebrated at every level. There is no shortage of\nit in our workforce.”\n\nMeet This Year’s Honorees\n\n\n\nEsther Yardumian-Smyth\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/esther-yardumian-smyth), a\nsubstitute teacher from Pawleys Island, South Carolina, brings more than 30\nyears of classroom experience to her role at the Academy for the Arts,\nScience, and Technology (AAST) in Myrtle Beach. A longtime high school English\nand Advanced Placement Literature teacher and AP Table Reader and Leader for\nmore than fifteen years, Esther came out of retirement twice before her\nprincipal suggested she return to the classroom as a substitute teacher. She\nhas never looked back.\n\nThat 50-minute commute from Pawleys Island to Myrtle Beach each morning?\nEsther considers it part of the job: time to prepare mentally, reflect on her\npurpose, and arrive ready to meet students where they are. Her philosophy is\none she carries into every classroom. “Meet students where they are, and\nleave them better than you found them,” she says.\n\nWhen asked about her mantra, Esther turned to George Bernard Shaw: “Life is\nno brief candle to me. It is rather a splendid torch which I have got hold of\nfor the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before\nhanding it on to future generations.” For Esther, substitute teaching is not\na step away from education. It is a new and deeply meaningful way to stay\nengaged in it.\n\n\n\nCelia Effrig\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/paraeducator-story-celia-effrig),\na paraeducator in Auburn, Alabama, did not set out to become one. She did not\neven know what one was when a colleague first suggested she try the role. A\ngraduate of Auburn University with a degree in Human Development and Family\nStudies, Celia had worked at Yarbrough Elementary School during college in the\nafter-school program. Returning as a paraeducator, she quickly discovered her\ncalling.\n\nFor the past three years, Celia has worked alongside the same teacher and the\nsame group of students, watching them grow, celebrating their milestones, and\nkeeping a running record of the funny and memorable things they say. “My\nfavorite part about being a paraeducator is forming bonds with the kids I work\nwith,” she says. “Every child I have worked with will always have a huge\nspot in my heart.”\n\nThe mantra she lives by and passes on to her students every day is one they\ncan all carry with them: “You can do hard things.”\n\nHonoring Excellence Across the Program\n\nIn the first year of formal runner-up recognition, Kelly Education is proud to\nalso honor Trina Kohler\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/substitute-teacher-story-trina-kohler),\nSubstitute Teacher with the Wasatch County School District in Utah, and\nKeshaun Henry\n(https://www.mykelly.com/career-advice/workplace/paraeducator-story-keshaun-henry),\nParaeducator at Walter M. Schirra Elementary in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Each\nrunner-up will receive a $1,000 bonus, plus an additional $500 to donate to\nthe school of their choice. Their stories, along with those of this year's\nwinners, can be found at kellyeducation.com\n(https://www.kellyeducation.com/services-and-solutions/employee-retention/substitute-educator-of-the-year-awards/).\n\nAbout Kelly Education\n\nKelly Education powers the future of learning through customized workforce\nsolutions, including hiring and recruiting, business management, professional\ndevelopment, academic, and social-emotional support across the full continuum\nof education—from early childhood, PK-12, special education, and therapeutic\nservices to higher education, executive search, and beyond. Kelly Education is\na business of Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB), a global workforce solutions\nprovider that connects businesses and individuals with limitless opportunities\nthrough meaningful work. Learn more at kellyeducation.com\n(https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkellyeducation.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cdanielle.nixon%40kellyservices.com%7C8427a9b13ce4470e7a3008da3a9c5aa1%7C47eede07012940efa5d49e87787f923d%7C0%7C0%7C637886740447778697%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NF5hjnNuJZszeRr90Wg8BUABzezdZVjAeHc21Lpywro%3D&reserved=0) or\nconnect with us on LinkedIn\n(https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fkelly-education%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cdanielle.nixon%40kellyservices.com%7C8427a9b13ce4470e7a3008da3a9c5aa1%7C47eede07012940efa5d49e87787f923d%7C0%7C0%7C637886740447778697%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZlllBPAC6rg3a8tKZCnTeEf3SdSQX6HakmW%2B6qNzidY%3D&reserved=0)\nand Facebook\n(https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKellyEducation&data=05%7C01%7Cdanielle.nixon%40kellyservices.com%7C8427a9b13ce4470e7a3008da3a9c5aa1%7C47eede07012940efa5d49e87787f923d%7C0%7C0%7C637886740447778697%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=didzf8oQfJGToC%2FCodaYtw69SP3DFXBCULXnvbRyFFo%3D&reserved=0).\n\nMedia Contact:\n\nDanielle Nixon\n\nDirector of Public Relations\n\nKelly Education\n\nPhone: 816-737-8414\n\nEmail: danielle.nixon@kellyservices.com\n\nPhotos accompanying this announcement are available at:\n\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a139e756-0467-4ad4-9869-3336bff502de\n\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98182f9f-b4e6-495f-9319-c94dbbfaa5e2\n\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9a93403-4fa8-4670-b883-91ef37222513\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5287bccc-bb92-4f54-8123-66a70f973147)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year \n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a139e756-0467-4ad4-9869-3336bff502de/en)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year2026 Kelly Education\nSubstitute Educator of the Year Substitute Teacher Winner \n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98182f9f-b4e6-495f-9319-c94dbbfaa5e2/en)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year Substitute Teacher\nWinner2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year Paraeducator Winner\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9a93403-4fa8-4670-b883-91ef37222513/en)\n2026 Kelly Education Substitute Educator of the Year Paraeducator Winner\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-04T15:09:22.134627252Z","server_sent_at_ms":1777907362134},"received_at":"2026-05-04T15:09:22.196Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"14071","press_release_id":"19310","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Commercial & Professional Services","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"other","narrative":"Kelly Education named Esther Yardumian-Smyth and Celia Effrig as its 2026 Substitute Educators of the Year during Teacher Appreciation Week.\n\nThe program expanded this year to include runner-up recognition, with winners receiving a $5,000 bonus and a $1,500 donation to a school of their choice.\n\nRunner-ups receive a $1,000 bonus and a $500 donation, reflecting the organization's commitment to broadening recognition for its workforce.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Non-material employee recognition press release; 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